Rabid
by orangeyhairedimmortal
Summary: During an assignment involving wolves, Roy is attacked by the prime alpha of the experiments. Roy believes he is fine, but Edward can tell there is a difference in his superior almost immediately. Roy wants to handle things himself but realizes that he may be too deep in a world he doesn't understand. Can he find a cure before he hurts someone or worse, loses his humanity? ww!Roy
1. Chapter 1

**i am doing a cliche subject but it's fun, so i do these things. but it's roy so, maybe not that cliche? i dunno. anyway, enjoy**

* * *

Roy Mustang was pissed off big time. Not only did he get a pretty crappy assignment, but he also got bit by said assignment. He got hurt enough to actually have to go to the hospital and be treated. So far, things were not going his way.

* * *

"You should be fine a couple of weeks and you can take the bandage off completely by then. You'll only need to put ointment on it for another week or so and then it should be healed up."

"This doesn't answer my question about my use of my hand."

"Well, even though everything connects, you shouldn't have any trouble with your hand working. It didn't do that much damage to it. It will still hurt when you flex and relax your hand but you won't lose the use of it. Just try not to tense up."

Roy gave the doctor a glare and pulled his sleeve over the bandage on his forearm.

"I've written you a prescription for some painkillers. Take them as needed."

Roy grumbled, snatching the prescription away from the doctor, and got up. He put his jacket on and walked out the door of the room he was in. He went to the pay phone that was in the hospital and put his money in, calling up to Headquarters to get a driver to come and get him.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye speaking."

"Hawkeye, it's me. I'm at the hospital. Will you send someone in a car to pick me up?"

"The hospital, sir?"

"My assignment bit me. I'll tell you later."

"Yes, sir."

Roy hung up and went outside to wait for his ride.

* * *

When he got to his office, he stormed in, went past all of the desks and into his personal office. Soon after, the door opened and Riza walked in.

"Are you alright, sir?"

"I'm pissed off but fine… well, except for the bite."

"You had mentioned that earlier…"

"It turns out the assignment had to do with wolves."

"Really?"

"Yes. They're trying to heighten the intelligence of the wolves by doing some sort of bioalchemy intrusion by way of food and water. Supposedly, they use an alchemical array to do something to the food and water and in turn, when another array is performed on the wolves, the two reactions combine in the wolves and does something to their chemical makeup. From what I painstakingly gathered from it, they are trying to train the wolves to understand complex commands or follow commands exactly and immediately in order to use them in covert missions. They don't want to limit it to the wolves but the whole purpose I think was to spy on the enemy. I mean, if you see a bird in a tree, you won't be suspicious of it, right? Either way, all I know is that one named Shiro Kiba got loose and came straight at me. I blocked my face with my arm but it tore into my forearm like it was a piece of meat."

"And what did the doctor say about it?"

"He said I'd be fine in a couple of weeks and gave me a prescription for painkillers… which reminds me, I have to go and get those."

"Would you like me to do that, sir?"

"If you would. I need to get started on filling out an accident report and an animal report."

"Yes, sir." She said, taking the prescription from him.

* * *

As Roy worked into the night, his arm began to pulse in a dull pain and he moaned, massaging it gently. Riza walked in just in time with a bottle of pills as Roy tested out his hand to make sure it didn't get stiff.

"You alright, Colonel?"

"Yeah… I think I'm going to have to take some of those painkillers." He said, hoping he could open the bottle.

"You should go home and take one of those. Don't try to be tough and think you can handle it."

"Believe me, I won't. It's not even the puncture wounds that hurt but the all over wound. It pulses like it's got a heartbeat or something."

"Dogs are known for having rounded teeth even though they are still sharp. The pain is probably all the bruising that the bluntness of the teeth has caused."

Roy smiled. "Where did you learn all that?"

"Actually Hughes called to talk to you and I told him about the bite. He was the one who explained it pretty thoroughly to me."

"Why didn't you ring him in? I could have stopped to talk to him."

"You were _actually_ doing paperwork. I wasn't going to deter you."

Roy made a face as Riza gave a small smile.

"I see…"

"He also said to watch for infection."

"I may call him tonight and let him know what happened and such."

"Of course… Go home, sir."

Roy saluted her and he finished his paperwork in regards to the bite and the assignment and then left for home.

* * *

 **i worked in a kennel and the diff between dog/cat bites is their teeth. dogs are blunted and thus cause more bruising, cats are sharp and thus penetrate deeper. at least that's my opinion. all in all, both hurt like a bitch.**


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a couple of days since the wolf incident and Roy was ready to truly assess the damage of his arm. He had to keep it covered so it wouldn't get any infection in it but he wanted to see now what it looked like. He took the bandage off and was furious at the amount of damage that was there. He hadn't realized it when he was getting it tended to (since he had been answering questions from the nurse) and seeing it now made him even angrier. It was a wonder he could move his arm, let alone the muscles in his forearm still worked.

There wasn't just puncture wounds of teeth but it was sliced open like the wolf had been trying to rip off his skin, which is a pretty good guesstimation. There were long scars on his arm that were colored in deep bruises and healing skin. He wondered how he had kept the arm and hadn't been in that much pain earlier. Then again, he had been so angry and was running on adrenaline…

"No wonder it hurt so much the second night…" he said to himself as he pulled out the ointment that he had bought.

He squeezed some onto his fingers and lathered the wounds with it. It stung and his arm twitched in pain but he endured it, having been through wars before. This was no different than shrapnel… at least it was in the arm and not in the torso. He hissed in pain with every touch of the ointment until he finally got it all covered. Once done, he covered it with a bandage and headed to work.

* * *

Edward walked into Roy's office as Roy looked up.

"Fullmetal." He said softly.

"Here's my report on the assignment I was on."

"Late, as usual. I needed this two days ago." He said with a lift of his eyebrow as he took it anyway.

Edward shrugged. "Some stuff came up."

Roy nodded and then grimaced, touching his arm.

"You alright?" Edward asked in concern.

"I got bit by a wolf the other day on an assignment of my own."

"What were they doing with wolves?"

"Something to do with using them as a way of stealth and bioalchemy and stupid stuff that seemed like a waste of time and money. I wasn't really interested in it and was going to put in my report that it was a waste of the military's efforts to put forth anything toward the project. That's when Shiro Kiba attacked me."

"Shiro Kiba?"

"The name of the large white wolf that bit me. Either way, I ended up with this bite on my forearm that was much worse than the doctor said it was. I'm pretty pissed about that information."

"Didn't you know what it looked like?" Edward asked with a look.

"I was too busy trying to keep the wolf from getting to my face and then I was too busy answering questions about the attack that by the time my attention was drawn back to the wound, the doctor had lathered it with ointment and wrapped it in a bandage. I just looked at it today and it's terrible. I could have lost the use of my hand or something."

Edward turned his head a little at his superior.

"You're looking a little pale, Colonel."

"Nonsense, I'm fine."

"Have you looked in the mirror? You look like you're sick."

"I'm sure I'm fine." He said, trying to drop the subject by going back to paperwork.

Edward knew his superior well enough and paperwork was not more important than _not_ doing paperwork.

"Colonel, stop acting like a baby and please take a look in the mirror. If you get any paler you'll fall out on the floor."

"Shut it, Fullmetal. I'm fine. What did you want besides giving me your report and pestering me about my skin complexion?" Roy grumbled, looking back at his subordinate.

Edward frowned and stood up.

"Nothing… See you then."

Edward left and Roy sighed, feeling so tired. He didn't want to do what Edward had asked but he could feel himself getting fatigued and getting cold, which meant low blood pressure. He looked at the couch and then the paperwork on his desk. He then looked at the clock and looked at the door. _Hmm… a little nap and then back to work, I think._ he thought as he got up. He locked the office door, drew the blinds, and laid down on the couch.

* * *

The sound of pounding woke Roy up from his slumber as he opened his eyes. He looked around for a moment, temporarily forgetting where he was, and then realized it was dark outside. He had slept far longer than he had wanted to.

"Colonel! Open up in there or I will shoot off the doorknob!" he heard Riza growl from behind his door.

He got up, dizzy, and made his way to the door. He was a little surprised to see Riza having had stepped back and had aimed her pistol at the doorknob. Scratching his head, Roy looked at her.

"What the hell, Hawkeye? Were you _really_ going to shoot my doorknob off?"

"You haven't answered in almost four hours, sir. I got impatient and anxious. Forgive me." She said, holstering her weapon. "What were you doing in there?"

"Uh… sleeping…"

"I thought as much. Why don't you just go home, sir?"

"I have stuff I have to do."

"You also have a body that looks like a stampede of horses just ran over it. You look like you're about to fall over, you're pale, and look like you're in a lot of pain. It's probably time to take your pain medicine."

"Probably."

"Do you need me to drive you home, sir?"

"I think that might be a good idea."

They left the office and headed to the car.

* * *

On the way to Roy's home, Riza looked in the backseat as Roy leaned against the window, looking as if he were in a daze and not really looking at anything. Riza stopped the car and got out, opening the door. Roy almost fell out but Riza caught him and he seemed to come to, looking at her.

"Do you want to stay at your house alone, Colonel?"

"Yeah… I just need some sleep."

"You _need_ to go back to the hospital. I didn't see it but I can see what the wound is doing to you."

"I'll be fine. Just a little fever. It'll pass."

"It's not just a little fever, sir…"

"Are you a doctor, Hawkeye?" he hissed, looking at her angrily. "Because every time I say something, you tell me that I'm wrong."

Riza breathed in. "Colonel, you're not a doctor either. Just because it's on your body doesn't mean you know exactly what's happening to it."

"I'll be fine. Let me go."

He snatched his arm away from her and walked to the door of his apartment. He leaned against it, pulling out his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He could barely get the keys on the hook next to the door and close the door, for the pain was becoming unbearable. He tried to open the bottle for the pills but he was shaking from pain so much that he ended up on the couch. He curled up on himself in agonizing pain and tried to do the next best thing and that was sleep.

* * *

 **oh yeah, he'll be fine... *eyeroll***


	3. Chapter 3

**excuse the expletive please.**

* * *

Edward and Alphonse stood outside of Roy's door and Edward kicked a small rock from the steps.

"Man, how come we're the ones that have to check up on that lazy ass Colonel?"

"It's not like you weren't worried about him, Brother." Alphonse said.

"Yeah, but I would have rather called."

"That's why we're here though. Hawkeye tried calling him three times and he never answered."

"Well makes her think he's going to answer here? He probably got drunk and is hung over."

Alphonse was making a mental face and looked at the door again.

"When did you knock last?"

"I dunno, about five minutes ago?"

"Knock again."

Edward sighed and knocked on the door again. After a few moments there was still no answer and he turned to walk away.

"He may not be home."

He headed down the steps but Alphonse tried the door and found that it was unlocked.

"Brother, the door's unlocked."

Edward spun around quickly as Alphonse opened the door a little more to show that it was open. Edward went up the steps again and they both walked in. It was warm in the house and Edward immediately noticed his superior lying on the couch in an awkward position. He walked over to him and reached out to touch him but gasped.

"He feels like fire and I haven't even touched him." He said, looking around for a second. He reached out further to touch Roy's shoulder. "Colonel? Colonel, wake up."

It took him a moment but Roy seemed to swim out of unconsciousness to look into Edward's golden eyes and blinked a little.

"Edward…" he said barely above a whisper.

"What have you been doing?"

"Sleeping." He moaned and sat up a little. He put his hand to his head and looked around. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get up. You've been asleep for two days straight."

"I have?"

"Yeah… Ugh, you need to really get that looked at."

"Colonel, it's infected." Alphonse said.

Roy looked at his arm wound and found that it was in worse shape than before and that the bandage had come off of it. He looked at it lethargically, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Yeah… that's pretty infected." He said.

He fell back onto the couch and Alphonse rushed to the phone as Edward ran to Roy to check his vitals. They were responsive but very slow and when Edward pulled back Roy's eyelid, his eyes rolled back into his head.

"He's unconscious."

"I'll go get some ice water to try and bring down the fever and to moisten his lips. The ambulance said they would be here soon…"

Edward nodded as he waited for him and looked again at the wound, grimacing on wondering what that mangled mess must have felt like. He could barely keep a chimaera off him when he went to Lior with his automail arm but a wolf ripping into his flesh arm? That may have been equivalent to when his arm and leg were ripped off by Truth. Eventually the ambulance got there and took Roy to the back of it, Edward Alphonse riding with him.

* * *

When Roy next awoke, his arm was throbbing and he felt something in the back of his hand. He realized he was in the hospital and looked around for a second. A nurse walked in and smiled at him as she held a clipboard.

"Good afternoon, Colonel. I hope you slept well?"

"As well as I could… How did I get here?"

"Major Elric and his brother called the ambulance due to your wound and passing out. Your wound his highly infected so we've put some salve on it to see if we can manage it before it causes any damage. It says here that you were bitten by a wolf?"

"Yeah, on assignment."

"I see… and did you fill out the animal accident report?"

"Yeah, some days ago, I just didn't get a chance to mail it out."

"Is there any way one of your subordinates could bring it? We need all the details for the file."

"I'll have to call one of them later."

"Indeed."

She piddled about for a bit and then left.

Roy sighed, feeling thirsty, but also feeling extremely warm. He wished he could get someone to turn the fan on and point it directly at him. He thought his hospital clothing was going to burst into flames from his body. God it was so _hot_! It was the heat that got him mostly, coursing from within his body and seemed to be pumping like fireworks in his blood. The heat was too much and he had to lay down all the way, hoping it would soon pass as he kicked the sheets off of him.

Someone knocked on the door and he told them to come in. It was Edward and Alphonse.

"How you feeling?"

"Nauseous and hot… I feel like my stomach is churning like someone whisking cake batter. You brought me here?"

"You passed out and your fever was off the charts. Plus the fact that your wound stunk and was infected and you've been MIA for two days."

"I just needed sleep."

Edward made a face like he didn't believe him. Although yes, his Colonel probably needed a few free winks of sleep because of the level of work he was doing but sleeping for two days straight wasn't a usual thing.

"So do I but I don't go hibernate like a bear in my home."

Roy decided that Edward wouldn't understand and stopped trying to make him.

"How long do I have to be in here?"

"Until they deem your wound infection free."

Roy scoffed and Edward threw his hands up in surrender.

"Hey, I'm the one who just let it be. I told you to go back to the hospital and Hawkeye did too."

"I don't appreciate you patronizing me." Roy snarled.

"Then don't be such a dick."

Alphonse hadn't said anything, just allowing the two to argue since what he said wasn't going to contribute much anyway, and just sighed in his corner. The doctor came in and smiled at Roy.

"Hello, Colonel, I see you're back."

"No shit." He said with a lift of his eyebrow.

"Although we haven't gotten the animal bite report yet, I'd like to take another look at the wound. When you came in some days ago, the wound looked like it would be fine but from what I understand it seemed to be highly infected now."

"Yeah, that's what I hear."

The doctor motioned to Roy's arm and he held it out for him to unwrap. As the doctor unwrapped it, the bandages were already starting to stain by the time he went around the second time. By the third, the pus was starting to show and by the fourth, the smell was atrocious. The doctor looked like he was going to vomit but completely unwrapped the wound and stuck the bandage in the trashcan.

"Oh my god… Are you sure it wasn't some sort of feral wolf?"

"I assure you, it was on assignment." Roy said, the only seeming to not take in the concern of his arm.

"Damn, Colonel…" Edward said, staring at his arm.

"We will have to perform surgery on the arm immediately or the infection will spread and you could lose the whole arm. By the way it's going, if we don't do it now, by nightfall it will have taken hold of your hand and almost to your shoulder."

Roy looked at it for a moment and sighed.

"Is there nothing else you can do to fix this?"

"Not that far along."

Roy grabbed the doctor with his other arm and pulled him to him.

"Then why the _fuck_ did you tell me I was alright when I came in? Huh? If you had done your job the first damned time, I wouldn't be _in_ this mess!"

"I-I'm so sorry, sir, I didn't think-"

"No. You didn't think. You just waved me off like you do all your other patients. This could cost me my _career_."

"P-Please don't hurt me…"

"Colonel, let him go." Alphonse said, coming over.

Roy let go and Alphonse righted the doctor from being pulled over the bed.

"It might be best if you just went ahead and prepared for the surgery."

The doctor nodded and ran out of the door. As soon as the door closed, Edward whirled on him.

"What was that all about?!"

"If he had been paying attention, I wouldn't be in this mess." Roy growled, starting to pull at things.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"I'm getting out of here."

"Uh, did you not just hear what he said? You have to get the surgery or you will not have an arm."

Roy turned to him swiftly and Edward gasped, stepping back a little.

"Al… c-come away from there."

"Brother?"

"What's your problem, Fullmetal?" Roy spat.

"Nothing… uh… if you want to go then just go."

"Brother!"

"Good." Roy said, pulling out all of the tubes. He looked around for a moment and pointed to the wound.

"Can you find me a bandage or something? Why are you just standing there?"

Edward nodded and quickly looked through the hospital room to find some gauze and bandages. Alphonse was very confused about what was going on but didn't say anything. He seemed to have missed something and he was sure Edward would tell him later.

Edward finally found gauze and wrapping and also some ointment.

"Do you want me to put some ointment on it?"

"That might be best."

Edward used his automail hand to apply the ointment and then wrapped the wound in gauze and then bandages. Roy stood up and pointed to the door.

"Get out."

Edward immediately obliged, grabbing Alphonse as they left and heading to the bathroom.

* * *

When Edward got in the bathroom, he found an open stall and began to vomit. Alphonse waited for him to finish and he flushed the toilet. He then washed his hands and washed the seat of the toilet off.

"Brother, what happened?"

Edward leaned against the wall and breathed in a little.

"For a split second he wasn't the Colonel anymore. He… his eyes looked at me as if he were going to eat my face off if I didn't do what he said. He's never looked at me that way before. I've never felt so much fear than that moment. Not even when I had to face Truth to get you back. I was scared but I was confident… this… he made me feel like a child."

Alphonse was stunned, unable to believe a look from Roy could have done that to his brother who was so strong and unshakeable.

Edward ran his fingers through his hair and then crossed his arms.

"Something happened at that assignment and I need to figure out what it was. I… I don't think he's the same Colonel anymore."

If Alphonse's face was able to make expressions, he would have been lifting an eyebrow.

"You're not suggesting that he might be turning into a wolf, are you?"

"No… at least not right now…"

"Brother-"

"I remember him saying it had to do with bio-alchemy they were using on the wolves. If it's bio-alchemy, not matter what species, if it's inside another creature, it could affect others… I'm going to ask Hawkeye where he had that assignment and ask them some questions."

"You're just going to let the Colonel leave on his own like that?"

Edward pulled from the wall and headed out the restroom.

"You didn't see the malice in his eyes, Al… Those were the eyes of a predator, a killer. I honestly have no doubts that he would have stabbed me or burnt me to a crisp if I didn't help him out."

Alphonse followed Edward out in worry, hoping that the Colonel wasn't turning into something inhuman and that they found out something worthwhile at the assignment.

* * *

 **oh no, seems like roy's a bit on the angry side... and yes, i know that it's not very responsible for leaving with a horrid infection like that but this is fma and drama so... he has to. it irks me cuz it's not accurate but yeah...**


	4. Chapter 4

**for some reason i always type havoc as havoc in third person instead of jean... breda too... oh well...**

* * *

Riza was getting the documentation ready to put into a briefcase to take to the hospital when the phone rang. She leaned over the desk to answer it.

"Colonel Mustang's office, Hawkeye speaking."

"Hey, Hawkeye, it's Edward."

"Oh, hello Ed. Thanks for checking on the Colonel for me. If you hadn't then I don't know what would have happened. I'm actually going to the hospital in just a moment so-"

"The Colonel's gone."

Riza was silent for a moment. "He's dead?"

"What? No! No, sorry. Wrong word. I meant he's not at the hospital anymore. I'm… not sure where he went actually."

"How did he get out?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Brother let him go!" she heard from the background of the phone.

"I didn't let him go, I permitted him to leave without supervision… Besides, I had to."

Riza frowned. "Why?"

"Hawkeye, is there any way you could give me the place where Mustang was doing the assignment he just had? I have some questions I need to ask them-"

"Ed thinks the Colonel is turning into a werewolf."

"Al!"

"A werewolf?"

"Not necessarily… but yeah…"

"That seems a little out of the ordinary for you to think that."

"The only reason I think it could even be plausible is because of what I heard they were doing to the wolves. They were feeding them things that were alchemically altered as well as drinking water and other things. If they have bio-alchemy in their blood stream or bodies in general, then there's a high possibility it could be contagious, for lack of a better term."

Riza frowned. "So you think that the alchemy in the wolves may have gotten into the Colonel and could be changing him?"

"I don't know… it's a theory but it would explain some things…"

"I'll bring the file and see what I can find. I have to bring the report to the doctor anyway so… You're _sure_ you don't know where he went?"

"He didn't really tell me where he was going. He was just pissed off that I was trying to make him stay."

"Well stay at the hospital, I'm on my way."

"Right."

Riza grabbed the other things she needed and then went out the door.

* * *

Roy stumbled up the stairs for the third time on his way up but caught onto the railing. He was practically pulling himself up the stairs with his one good arm. The other arm was throbbing, pulsing like it had a mind of its own. He finally got to the door and banged on it, waiting. When no one answered he banged on it again and a mumble came from the other side of the door. The door opened and Havoc looked at Roy, running his fingers through his hair.

"Colonel…" he asked in surprise. "What are you-"

"You have a two bedroom, right? You were supposed to house with a buddy?"

"Uh… yeah, but Iska isn't even in Central anymore-"

"Good." He said, barreling into the small apartment.

He quickly figured out Havoc's room and went into the second room. There was a small cot and unused weights but it would be enough for him.

Havoc watched his superior walk listlessly around, looking at his humble abode and yet seeming to not all at the same time. Roy nodded at the spare bedroom and then turned to Havoc.

"Do you have a first aid kit?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"May I use it? I need to patch up a bit of an issue."

Havoc nodded and went to get the kit as Roy wobbled his way to the couch. He started to move his arm to look at it and realized it was shaking horribly. He reached out to touch it when Havoc came back.

"Here," he said, holding out the kit. He caught sight of Roy's arm and frowned. "What happened? Is that why you weren't in the office for two days?"

"Partly…" he said, trying to open up the kit but failing miserably. "Help me out, Havoc, don't just fucking sit there like a bump on a long." He snarled.

Havoc jumped at the sudden expletive as well as anger seeming to seethe off his words. He opened the kit and Roy rummaged around for a second.

"Where's the damned antibiotic?" he grumbled.

Havoc snatched the kit from his superior and the look Roy gave him was murderous. Despite the visual threats, Havoc started looking in the kit himself.

"What are you looking for? I can get it for you a lot faster."

"Antibiotic, gauze, wrapping… anything that will heal wounds."

Havoc found what he could and held out his hand.

"Give me your arm, I'll help you."

"I don't want your damned help!" Roy snarled, seeming to shrink into the edge of the couch. "I can do it myself."

"True but you won't be successful. You look like you're about to pass out and you're shaking. It would be beneficial for both of us if _I_ did it."

Roy looked at him for a second, his eyes seeming lost for a moment, but then he scooted next to Havoc and presented his arm. Havoc began to unwrap the arm.

"Holy shit, Colonel… What happened? Why aren't you in the hospital?"

"I got bit by a wolf, remember? Pay attention when I speak to you, Lieutenant."

Havoc sighed but continued unwrapping the wound and gagged when the bandages came off completely.

"Oh god…" Havoc said, trying not to vomit. "Colonel-"

"Just wrap it up, Lieutenant." He growled, looking away.

Havoc gulped but set about getting some cotton balls and then got up, going to a decanter on the table. He grabbed a glass and then poured some of it into it, throwing a few cotton balls in there. After a few moments, he lifted one out and breathed in a little.

"I'm going to let you know right now that this will hurt like a bitch."

"Fine."

Havoc breathed in again and stuck the cotton ball on the festering flesh. Roy grabbed hold of Havoc's leg as he tried not to punch his subordinate in the face as Havoc moved the cotton ball around to deliver a smooth coating. He did it again with all the cotton balls and then found the ointment. As he treated the wound, he noticed that Roy was swaying and his eyes were fluttering. He wanted to call the hospital but he had a bad feeling Roy would leave if he did. He didn't want his superior to pass out but if he didn't, Roy would be on to him and of course, leave.

Havoc finished treating the wound as best as he could and began to wrap it.

"Why don't you stay here for a bit? You look like you're about to pass out."

"That was my plan." Roy mumbled.

"Passing out or staying here?"

"Both."

Havoc smiled as he finished wrapping the wound.

"You really need to go to the hospital, Colonel."

"I don't want to. It's their fault for my arm looking like it does in the first place. He misdiagnosed it and now it's spreading."

"Then go to the clinic or something. I'll take you-"

"Not right now, Havoc… I'm tired. Maybe when I wake up." He said, trying to get up.

He tried multiple times to get up from the couch but ended up falling. Havoc stood up and grabbed his good arm, pulling him up. He leaned on his friend and Havoc took him to the spare bedroom.

"I'll make a deal with you, Colonel: you can stay for the night but if by the time I go to bed you have gotten worse, you will go to the hospital. Understand?"

"I guess…"

Havoc took him into the room and laid him down. Roy fell asleep immediately.

* * *

Havoc hadn't told Roy that he was off because he was sick so when he took care of Roy and got him to bed, he went and laid on the couch, passing out due to medicine. He slept through the day, unaware that Roy _was_ getting worse by the second. It wasn't until the phone rang later that night that Havoc seemed to wake up and threw his arm over his shoulder to grab the phone.

"Letinet Hvc…" he mumbled into the phone.

"Jean? Are you alright?"

"Yeah… just woke up…"

"I was making sure you were alright. You don't usually leave work unless you're sick and when you didn't come in today…"

"I'm alright, Breda, you don't have to act like my mother…"

Breda laughed. "Your mother would kill me if she knew I had let something happen to you… Have you seen the Colonel? Hawkeye said that he was in the hospital due to that wolf bite but that he left and didn't tell anyone where he was."

"Yeah, I know where he is. He's in my spare bedroom."

"What the hell?! Why didn't you call anyone?"

"Because he would have killed me."

"Havoc…"

"Well that's no excuse. From what Hawkeye said the doctors said, his wound is spreading quickly-"

"Havoc."

"-and his arm could rot off. Or something like that. He _needs_ to get to the hospital immediately."

"Havoc."

Havoc hadn't realized someone else was talking and turned over, seeing Roy standing next to him. Havoc dropped the phone and stood up quickly, grabbing Roy's shoulders before he fell over, shaking violently in Havoc's arms.

"I… I th-think I need to g-go to the hosp-pital now…"

"NO SHIT!" Havoc screamed, grabbing the receiver. "Breda, get someone to my apartment _now_! It's the Colonel!"

"Right!"

He hung up and Havoc held Roy tightly as he continued to seizure, his eyes rolling back into his head and his body shaking in his arms. He regretted not making Roy go to the hospital earlier that day… He hoped he didn't cause serious damage to his superior.

* * *

 **like havoc said, no shit colonel. it's a bit late now for regrets on both parties. and made you look. i bet yall thought he was going to maes' house didn't you?  
**


	5. Chapter 5

Roy opened his eyes and looked around for a minute. He squinted his eyes a little, remembering the situation he had been in just a few hours before and it seemed quite similar. He looked over at his arm and found that it was wrapped up but everything seemed different somehow. He looked around the room but no one was there. He went to say something but the only thing that came out was a squeak. He licked his lips but decided not to yell out again. The door opened and a doctor walked in, going to the end of the bed and picking up a chart. He started looking over it, pointing at a couple of things and then looked up.

"Oh, you're awake. You had a close call. You're very weak because of the spreading and the amount of morphine we're having to give you so talking may be pretty hard. At least _coherent_ talking anyway."

Roy just nodded, understanding that his speech would probably end up off the deep end and just watched the doctor as he looked over his chart.

"We did surgery on your arm to stop the spreading but um… there are some… issues." Roy lifted an eyebrow. "Luckily it didn't sink into the bone but it was damn near close. Most of your skin is missing off of your arm and a lot of muscle."

Roy growled and the doctor shot him a surprised look. He pushed his glasses up and cleared his throat.

"If you had stayed then we could have resolved this quicker."

Even if Roy could talk, he decided he wasn't going to say anything to the man about it. He knew who was to blame and it wasn't him.

The doctor took his vitals and wrote some information down.

"Usually a nurse would do this but I feel partly responsible for it. The doctor who diagnosed you was running off of a fourteen hour shift due to me being out on a house call longer than expected. I should have called in someone else to take the shift in which you first came in, but I didn't. Now, your arm is mutilated and it will be a long hard recovery."

Another snarl erupted from Roy and this time the doctor actually jumped. Roy could smell the fear in him and it made him feel good.

"Either way, you have some people who have been wanting to talk with you for a while now. I think they'll be happy to know that you're awake."

He put the clipboard back and smiled, going out the door.

* * *

As the doctor came out of Roy's room, Riza and the others all stood up in worry, wondering what the diagnosis was.

"Doctor…" she said, walking forward a little.

"He's fine. He's awake actually. He's not good for extensive conversation but he'll live. The hard part is the recovery of his arm… May I walk with you for a moment?"

Riza nodded and walked to the side with the doctor. He pushed his glasses up and leaned against the wall a little.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, I did some additional tests since they told me that he was bitten by a wolf on assignment and the infection spread very quickly. What I saw was a little unnerving."

"And what is it you found?"

"It seems like there are minute traces of alchemical activity within his blood that registered on our scans."

"From what he told me, they are trying to heighten wolf intelligence by use of bioalchemy introduced internally through food or water."

"I see… I don't know what that could do to someone but I know the infection has stopped spreading. We got most of it out and like I said, the hardest part will be recovery and muscle memory."

"Muscle memory?"

"We had to dig the infection out of his arm pretty deep. Almost to the bone, actually. The recovery will be anything but easy."

Riza made a face as the doctor sighed.

"Look, I just thought you may want to know about what I found. Usually it's doctor-patient confidentiality but you are listed as a person I can discuss medical issues with and I have a feeling he won't do anything if he heard what I had to say."

"True; he's not exactly the best at taking bad news well."

"I figured as much. That being said, if anything odd happens, I would like to think that you would try to get him back here."

"Of course. Thank you."

He nodded and left and Riza made a face. She hoped nothing odd was happening because of the assignment. She walked back over to everyone and they looked up.

"The Colonel is awake and we can visit him. He said that he's on a lot of painkiller so he may not be coherent."

Everyone nodded as they all went into the Colonel's room.

* * *

The door opened and most of his office seemed to spill into the room and Roy smiled a little, feeling better already.

"Hi."

"Colonel, you scared the hell of me." Havoc said, glaring at his superior.

"I'm sorry…" he said softly, swallowing.

"Why did you leave the hospital in the first place?" Riza asked calmly but firmly.

"I just didn't want to be here. They messed me up so…"

"*You* messed you up, Colonel. The doctor had said to stay there and you didn't. Then you put your burden on Lieutenant Havoc. I'm ashamed of you, sir."

Roy smiled a little. "I'm sorry."

"They said that they had to dig out a large chunk of infection." Edward said.

"That's what they say…" Roy said with a frown. "Hawkeye, Fullmetal." The two stood at attention. "I want you to go back to the assignment and get more information on the project they were doing. I want to know the odd little details, the side effects, anything you can get on those wolves."

"How long were you there before the dog bit you?" Edward asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Roy narrowed his eyes at Edward. "Don't call them dogs. I'm serious. I never said the experiment didn't work, I just said it was stupid and there is no need for it. They know when you're talking about them and that's why Shiro Kiba bit me."

"I see." Edward said, looking a little skeptical.

Roy lowered his gaze and Edward stepped back involuntarily although subtly, his superior's black eyes seeming a little glowier than usual.

"I'm serious, Fullmetal. Those wolves really are intelligent beyond their normal capacity and Shiro Kiba is the leader of those wolves. If he directed it, he would tear you limb from limb. He's their alpha."

Edward grinned. "True, but I'll show that dumb dog like I showed that chimera in Lior with my automail."

Roy peered at him more. "Shiro Kiba could rip it right off. _Don't_ understand him."

Edward made a face as Roy leaned back and scratched at the bandages.

"I hate to be a bother but do you mind if I catch a couple of winks?"

Everyone smiled and headed toward the door.

"Hope for a speedy recovery, Colonel." Breda said, saluting.

"Good look." Havoc said, leaving.

"Night, Colonel. Sweet dreams."

Edward lingered for a little bit and Roy looked at him.

"Fullmetal, have I spoken another language that you can't understand?"

"Brother, come on." Alphonse said, urging his brother out.

"Hold on… Go on without me." Alphonse left as Edward looked at Roy again. "Colonel…"

"What, Fullmetal? What don't you get about leaving me alone?!" he growled.

"You keep getting really angry with me about everything that I do. Why just me?"

"I don't know. _Get. Out._ "

Edward instead walked closer to Roy and looked into his eyes, noticing they were lighter than they had ever been since he knew the annoying man.

"You're not alright. The doctor may have gotten the infection out of your arm but you can't change your _blood_." Edward growled, pointing at his superior. "Overheard him talking and there's alchemy in your blood. Roy, you have to get them to try and clean that out."

"My blood is fine, Fullmetal. You're not a doctor nor are you a scientist, so there's no reason why you should be eavesdropping on the conversation of my doctor. And even if that were true, it'll clean out soon."

Edward leaned over to him.

"Bioalchemy doesn't just 'pass through', Roy! It blends! That's what it's _made_ to do! It has to do with the chemical makeup of the human body and things around it! The traces won't dissipate but attach and you have no idea what they were really doing to those wolves! I think…"

Edward pulled back, not going to voice his silly opinion and put his hands in his pockets.

"Whatever. I'm just a kid, I don't know much."

Roy watched him for a second. "Fullmetal." Edward turned back. "Are you trying to say that I will turn into a werewolf?"

Edward clenched his fists. "I'm not trying to say it… I… really have a gut feeling about this. I don't believe in the fantastical as much as any alchemist (that isn't of their own hand, of course) but you don't see what I see. Something from those wolves is still inside you and for some reason, it doesn't like me. Werewolf, wolf, nothing… it's all plausible. I just hope you'll be strong enough for it."

He walked away again but Roy growled low.

"Edward."

"What?" he said, looking back.

"You truly believe that I'm the Big Bad Wolf?"

"I believe you're something and that something doesn't like me. I have no doubts that you'll huff and puff and blow in my defenses."

"Then I suggest you build them with bricks."

Edward frowned at his superior, their banter suddenly turning into a threat.

* * *

 **so much 3 little pigs! anyway, hopefully things will be fine when they go to check out the assignment**


	6. Chapter 6

**unexpected plot twist ahead and despite said twist, i'm still going to keep it focused so... yeah...**

* * *

"You seem nervous." Havoc said as they drove to the place where Roy had had his assignment.

"That wolf is in here and whatever it did to the Colonel is making him act the way he does… especially towards me."

"Maybe he doesn't like runts."

Edward would have taken the insult personally like he usually did but he was too focused on the issue at hand. An alchemically altered wolf bit his superior and now his superior is showing wolf-like symptoms and seems to be on the high alert with him. Only him… _But why me?_

The car stopped and he and Havoc got out, heading into the facility. The receptionist looked up at them.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

"We're here to see a Professor… uh… Haschvagan?"

"We all just call him Hasch, but yes, if you'll have a seat I'll let him know that you're here."

The two took their seats and Edward looked around, feeling suspicious of the whole building. A couple minutes later a frazzled looking man came from the back of the building in civilian clothes, but a lab coat on over them, and smiled.

"Hello, hello, welcome to my sanctuary. I'm Garten Haschvagan but people just call me Hasch around here. And who might you be?"

"I'm Lieutenant Havoc and this is Edward Elric-"

"THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!" Hasch yelled, looking either pleased or horrified (Edward wasn't sure). He grabbed Edward's gloved hands and shook them furiously. "I've _always_ wanted to meet you! I've heard about your works and the way that you do alchemy. Incredible!"

"Uh, thanks." He said, pulling his hands from the man.

"If I only had just a fraction of your raw talent… Ugh, I'd be done with this project and we'd be on our way! Oh, I am just pleased as punch!"

"Right…" Havoc said, looking at Edward. "Anyway, our superior, Colonel Roy Mustang, came here to check your project and see if it was both up to military standards and also needed for military tactics. He was also bitten by a wolf here?"

"Ah… yes, Shiro Kiba… She's a bit of a touchy old broad. Doesn't like men too much."

"Shiro Kiba is a girl?"

"Yup, an alpha, but a girl just the same. Would you like to meet her?"

"If she doesn't like men then don't you think it would be better if we _didn't_?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I meant to say she doesn't like men with black hair. I rescued her from Xing and the people there did some horrible things to her. Black hair reminds her of that time."

"But you have black hair."

"I put a cap on at all times." He said with a cheesy thumbs up.

So far, Edward was extremely uncomfortable but followed the flighty man to the back of the building.

* * *

"And here is where we train Shiro Kiba and the other wolves to follow orders. Oh, it looks like they are about to start. It fascinates me every time. Watch…"

Havoc and Edward watched as a group of about fourteen wolves played with each other in a group and a man walked in wearing an army uniform.

"Atten-tion!" he yelled.

The dogs stopped playing and lined up in a straight line, sitting tall. The man walked in front of them.

"I know we like to have a lot of fun and play jokes on the trainers, but I know it was one of you who pooped in my shoe this morning. Morning Star."

The wolf named Morning Star looked as if they were trying to hide. "Uh huh, I thought it was you. You get to trot around the track for twenty laps. Go."

The light brown wolf got up and began to trot around the enclosure as the man talked with the others.

"Red Team, I want you to find the green balls that are in the forest. White Team, you'll be the enemy today. Black Team, you're sniper position and Gold Team, you're distraction. Everyone understand?" Morning Star barked. "No, you still have to do laps. Go!"

The wolves dispersed and the man sighed, looking over. Hasch walked over to him and smiled.

"Lieutenant, Fullmetal- may I call you that?"

"Yeah."

"This is my strategic officer, Major Rupert Colben."

"Nice to meet you."

"Colben, they have a couple questions about what happened to their superior, Colonel Roy Mustard."

"Mustang."

"Right."

"Sure, what would you like to know?"

"Was the Colonel doing anything to provoke the wolf in question?" Havoc asked.

"May I look around?" Edward asked.

"But of course you can! Here, I'll give you a tour myself-"

"I'd rather do it alone, thank you. If that's alright?"

This smile seemed forced but Hasch nodded.

"Of course…"

* * *

Edward asked where he could find Shiro Kiba and followed the signs to where she was being kept. He went down a long hallway and finally saw a door at the end. He opened it and found a lone cage in the middle of the room, a whimpering sound coming from it. He walked a little closer, seeing a white nose protruding out of the cage bars. As he got closer, the nose moved and then went into the cage. He walked over and knelt in front of the cage to look into it. Big yellow eyes stared back at him and he blinked a little.

"You bit my superior and now he acts like I'm a threat to him. What did they do to you? What did they use?" he said more to himself than to Shiro Kiba.

"Ar… ra… ry…"

"I know it's alchemy but-" Edward looked up as Shiro Kiba stared at him. "What?"

"Ar…ra…ry…"

Edward suddenly had flashbacks of poor Nina and Alexander and he tried to back away but tripped. He stared at Shiro Kiba as she stared back at him, her eyes never leaving his.

"You… you can talk…"

"Ritl."

"Right… um… did… are you a… a _person_?" Edward whispered, suddenly feeling like he was being watched.

Shiro Kiba shook her head 'no' and Edward sighed, glad that it wasn't like the others. He crawled back to her and gently put his hands around the bars.

"You bit my colonel the other day. Really bad. He had to go to the hospital and his arm almost rotted off. What do you have to say about that?"

"Rah-rers."

"What?"

"Rah-rers."

"Others?" Shiro Kiba nodded. "What does that have to do with-"

"Rah-rers rur."

"What?"

"Rah-rers rur."

"I get others but…"

"Rur!" she said, turning around in a circle.

"Others… turn…?"

She nodded and Edward narrowed his eyes at her.

"Others were turned into wolves?" She nodded and he nodded back. "I understand… Thanks-"

"Shiro Kiba. I thought you only spoke for me, my sweetness." A voice said in the doorway.

Edward slowly turned as Hasch stood in the doorway of the room. Shiro Kiba went crazy and started barking up a storm.

"I had a bad feeling you would end up here with her." He walked in and Edward back against the cage, clapping to get his blade from his automail. "How exciting for me to see you this way. Unfortunately, you've been a very bad dog."

Edward felt something go into his neck and the world went black.

* * *

Roy felt an eerie chill go up his spine and he looked around the room. He wondered what it was but all he wanted to do was go home. His arm had healed up almost immediately but he was still being held in the hospital. Something about anger issues…

"I'll show you anger issues if I don't get out of this prison." He growled at no one, looking at the ceiling. "I have things to do…"

"Like what, sir?" Hawkeye said from the corner.

"Paperwork or something useful."

"Resting is useful to us all."

Roy grumbled and crossed his arms when another chill went down his spine. _**Two** people walked over my grave? Well, that's new._ he thought. The phone rang in his room and made him jump in surprise. Riza made a face at him and stood up, grabbing the phone.

"Colonel Mustang's room. Calm down, Havoc, and talk slowly."

Riza listened as he told her what was getting him riled up, Roy looking at her curiously. He could slightly hear what Havoc was saying on the other line, a bit muffled, but he could hear the lilt of fear in his voice. A different kind of shiver went through Roy and he shook his head, trying to get that out of his mind.

"Sir, Lieutenant Havoc says there's something going on with that place you were at. He wants to speak with you."

Roy motioned for the phone and put it to his ear.

"Mustang."

"Colonel, there's some weird shit going on here." Havoc said in a raspy voice.

"Where are you?"

"I'm hiding."

"From… what?"

"The wolves!" he hissed. "Edward went to go investigate and I was talking to one of the guys here, a Major Colben or whatever, when the leader of the experiments left the room. I got done talking to the Major and went to find Edward when I saw him _dragging_ his unconscious body down the hallway."

"Is he dead?" Roy deadpanned.

"No, he was breathing but… Colonel something really weird is going on here. When I saw that, I decided to hide and since then I've heard them asking where I am. There's snippets of info that they've yelled out but I… I have a bad feeling."

"Where are you now? Exactly?"

"I'm in an office under the desk. They haven't tried to come in here yet but I'm sure they will… Colonel, you have to save Edward."

"I'm sure Fullmetal can handle it on his own." Roy said nonchalantly as he looked at his nails. "He seems plenty capable."

"Not this time!" he hissed again. The phone went silent for a moment. "Shit, they're trying to get in. Send someone, _anyone_ here. There's something weird going on here and it's not good."

The phone immediately hung up and Roy looked at it in annoyance. Riza looked at him patiently and then breathed in.

"Sir, may I speak frankly?"

"Of course."

"You don't seem too worried about their situation. I sent Havoc with Edward because someone needed to stay here with you. They're your men… Also, the way that the lieutenant is talking, it sounds like this place isn't just experimenting on wolves but more like-"

"Turning officers into wolves?" he said, not looking at her.

"That would… seem the case."

He looked up at her and for once in her life, she felt the need to put her hand on the holster of her gun.

"Because it _is_ the case." He held up his bandaged arm. "I was lucky enough to escape with a bite on my arm. I found out about what he was doing and was already running when he sicked that fucking white hound on me."

"So you sent Edward and Havoc there?!"

"I forgot!" he snapped, putting his fingers to his temples. He opened his eyes and saw that Riza actually had pulled out her gun. "I didn't mean to scare you…"

"How could you forget, Colonel?! That seems like a pretty obvious thing to remember!"

"When the wolf bit me all I remember was trying to get back here. It was like a daze came over me. I must have made up a scenario in my head and just came back here. I don't _know_ , Hawkeye. I just know that Havoc should be scared and Fullmetal… he might already be lost."

"You're turning into one of those things, right?"

"No… I'm turning into something different. I didn't get changed like the others. This is a second generation fluid transfer so… I guess Edward was right." He said with a small chuckle.

Riza holstered her gun and walked over to her superior. She grabbed his collar and dared to look him in his eyes that were lightening so quickly from black to yellow.

" _Fix. This_." she growled. "They are your men, who rely on you, and you sent them _literally_ to the wolves!"

Roy sighed and pulled away from her.

"Find the file. You need to know what I know now that I remember. We're going to need it."

* * *

 **see, there's that plot twist. anyway, as mentioned, although the other two are involved, this is still going to focus more on roy. whether or not the others were turned is... up for debate haha. i dunno anymore...**


	7. Chapter 7

Riza stared in horror at the file she had just read and then looked back at Roy, who had been watching her read.

"Fifty cases? _Fifty missing persons cases_?!" she practically screamed.

"Yes. That was the reason I was given the assignment. From what we now know of them doing up there and the reports, it seems like the military just kept sending team after team up there to try and find the one before but inevitably, they were turned into wolves before they returned, and so the cycle continued."

"It looks like after the tenth case they started dropping the men down from five, to two and then one… It seems like they are giving up."

"If you look at the other entries it shows that they can't prove anything and all the people up there do is deny it. They turn the soldiers into wolves and then display the wolves as their project because it _is_ their project!" he snarled. "It's ingenious and sick all at the same time."

Riza looked through a couple of the papers when she came across a picture of Shiro Kiba. She flipped it around to her superior.

"Is this the one that bit you?"

"Yeah, that's her."

"You told Edward that she bit you because you called her a dog."

"I think I made that up… I don't know anymore."

"What prompted them to send Shiro Kiba to attack you?"

"Anyone who goes there and says that what they're doing is not worth the military's time and money, that's when their chipper demeanor falls off and they become mad scientists. Whatever is in the serum that they give them, it makes the wolves scarily obedient and they start to attack. Shiro Kiba is the worst and is the fastest, biggest, and strongest in the bunch. They use trigger words but she has a special trigger word and it's like she completely loses her self awareness, only going after what she is told to go after. I'll admit that the comprehension skills of the wolves are extraordinary."

"That would be because they were once people, sir. Which is what will happen to Havoc and Edward if you don't send someone there to rescue them."

"What good will it do!? Seriously, Hawkeye, think about it. If I send you or Hughes up there, or one of my other men, they will just deny everything and then when things get heated, guess what? _More_ of you get turned into wolves. What will I do then?"

"Tell the Fuhrer."

"And it's a believable story how?"

Riza sighed and Roy leaned his head back on the bed.

"I want to help them but there's not way to do it without them turning anyone else into wolves."

Riza flipped through a couple more pages when she had an idea.

"What about Alphonse?"

"What about him?"

"They can't turn him into a dog."

Roy thought for a second and then smiled at his subordinate.

"I knew I had you around for a reason."

"I'm sure there is a compliment in that…"

* * *

Edward opened his eyes and sat up, touching his neck. It burned and was sore but he seemed to still be human, which Edward was happy about. He looked to the side and saw Shiro Kiba staring at him through the bars of her own cage.

"You tricked me…"

She shook her head.

"How can I trust you?"

Shiro Kiba just stared at him and he looked away, still haunted by Nina and Alexander's soulless eyes when they were merged together.

The door opened and the light came on and Edward watched as Hasch walked into the room. He pulled his rolling chair from the desk that was in front of them and sat in it, looking down at Edward.

"You are the first person who hasn't turned into a wolf after that shot. You must have been touched with some strong alchemy to withstand that. Especially for your stature; that was the dosage for a normal sized man."

"Who are you calling so tiny that he can ride on fleas and escape?" Edward grumbled.

Hasch laughed a little and pointed at him, looking at Shiro Kiba.

"This guy… You're a funny man, Mr. Fullmetal."

"I try… So what's the deal with this? What is your exact purpose?"

Hasch looked at his fingernails for a second.

"My research was to try and help the military with covert affairs by keeping soldiers out of harm's way and enemies without being the wiser. I wanted to try and modify wolves to be able to obey complex commands so that we could get information on enemies and spy on them when needed. I was funded but out of the few wolves I gave my first serum to, Shiro Kiba's mother was one of the few who survived the first round. By then she was pregnant with her litter of pups.

"When Shiro Kiba was born, she was the first to exhibit the signs I was looking for: understanding complex demands, intelligent beyond a canine, and many other features. She is unique… but she must have been a fluke in genetics and the mixture of my serum. After her, I couldn't get anything close to her. I was losing funding as well as 'merchandise', so to speak, and the military wouldn't give me any more wolves due to them not being a species in Amestris. They belong mostly in the North and Drachma and were not exactly easy to come by. I just knew that if someone could see what I'm trying to accomplish as a whole and not just one wolf that was the fluke of my experiment, then they would see…

"When the first group of soldiers came to tell me that funding was going to be halted, I snapped and put a new serum I had made from Shiro Kiba's saliva into each of their drinks. I had no idea what it would do and I didn't care. In all honesty, I had lost my sense for just a moment and just wanted someone to understand me and believe in me. Then they changed and… I knew that this was my chance. Something in the serum makes their minds just the way they need to be… they are moldable and yet able to comprehend the orders they are given. They lose their sense of self though but they still have their own personalities somehow. It's very interesting…"

"So now you just take any soldier that the military sends and use them for your merchandise?"

"Oh no, I only use those who realize the truth or who demean my work. It just so happens that all of the soldiers sent to me fall into those two categories immediately."

"What did you do with my friend?"

"Havoc? Oh, he's well."

"Is he a wolf?"

"No, we just put him in a safe place."

"What's happening to the Colonel?" he growled, putting his hands around the bars. "When Shiro Kiba bit him, something happened to him. It's like he's turning into a werewolf or something."

Hasch blinked a little, seeming quite confused.

"A werewolf? That's a very strange and out of context notion for you to occupy, Mr. Fullmetal."

"I just know that he's acting weird and that bite was not normal."

Hasch looked at Shiro Kiba and narrowed his eyes at her.

"You were supposed to tackle him and bring him back, not bite him. You let him escape."

Shiro Kiba stared at Hasch without blinking and Hasch rolled his eyes.

"You're an obstinate thing… Either way, Mustang will make his way back here but he's the first one to have ever been bitten by Shiro Kiba and not died. When I sic her on someone, she brings them down and kills them… or at least brings them back to me. Your Colonel has a set of legs on him and seemed to have outrun my best wolf. No matter though… the damage has been done and we will just have to see what happens."

Edward leaned forward. "He'll come for us."

"And whatever he sends, I will just do what I always do until someone decides to recognize my work and that it's not shoddy or idiotic."

He got up and turned off the light, slamming the door.

* * *

Alphonse was silent as Roy explained how things were going to work and what was happening. When he was done, he groaned and touched his arm where the bandage was. It was aching badly.

"So Brother is trapped in a place where a man is doing experiments on wolves and turns the soldiers that are sent into wolves for his own personal gain? You sent him to this place and now he's trapped there?"

"That would be correct."

"Are you that stupid?" he said and even took Riza off guard.

"I wasn't thinking very clearly; I haven't been doing that for a while now. I just wanted to get to the bottom of this. I didn't know they would get caught in the crossfire. But if _you_ go then he can't make you turn into a wolf and maybe you can get some real answers."

Alphonse thought about it for a moment and knew what Edward would do if the roles were reversed.

"I'm going to need a dummy soldier with me so it looks legitimate. Just having me there makes me look like I'm meddling."

"I'll go." someone said from the doorway.

"Hughes…"

"I kind of overheard your conversation but I did hear that you need a decoy soldier. I'll go if you need one."

"No! You can't."

Maes frowned. "Why not?"

"Because it's an odd situation and I can't have you getting caught up in it. You have a family."

"I''ll be fine. Just fill me in and I can make it seem like a legitimate check up."

Roy and Riza looked at each other but Riza nodded and Roy filled his friend in as they made a plan to get their men home.

* * *

 **yeah maes just kinda popped up but oh well, he always wants to help**

 **and because of his little journey through the gate and stuff, we'll say for the sake of this story that it makes low doses of alchemy non-working**


	8. Chapter 8

**there is some old-school anime punning here. if you know it, shout it out.**

* * *

"Okay, you got the plan, right?" Maes asked as they stopped in front of the gate to the facility.

"Yep. We're both to praise this guy's work and then ask some questions but not too in depth as to make him suspicious of us. Do you think we should just come right out and say that we were here on behalf of the Colonel?"

"Well since he was bitten and he didn't seem to react favorably to the experiment, I don't think pushing those types of buttons is a good thing."

"I was thinking that we could say something along the lines of praise right off the bat."

"Hmm… I'll see what I can come up with."

They drove through the gate and was met by a young officer at the gate.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Hughes and this is… Warrant Officer Gundam."

Alphonse looked at him as the officer made a face.

"What are you here for?"

"We were sent here to talk to the operator of this experiment. We have some good news for him."

"Good news?"

"Yes, it seems after all this time, the Fuhrer has finally decided that maybe there is something to this experiment. He sent us down to take a closer look and verify that what has been presented to him is what is being done."

The officer seemed to mellow out and smiled.

"That's great! Professor Hasch will be so pleased! Come in, come in!"

The officer motioned for him to move along and Maes rolled up the window.

"Warrant Officer Gundam?"

"I thought I'd give you a fake name."

"Wouldn't it have been more advantageous for you? You can get bitten, I can't."

"Yes but everyone knows that your brother has a suit of armor that goes around with him. If I said who you really were, they'd be on to us. Acting like you're a warrant officer who is trying out a new suit design based off of the amazing Alphonse Elric seems like a better story."

"I guess… I hope you know what you're doing…"

"I've been in the military for a while now, kid, I think I know how to maneuver a plan."

They stopped the car and got out. As they started across the yard of the facility, the door opened with a bang and a man came rushing out as he threw a lab coat on. Upon seeing Alphonse though, he stopped.

"Aren't you-"

"I'm Warrant Officer Gundam." Alphonse said, holding out his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Hasch shook his hand and made a face at him.

"*Finally* meet me? You've been waiting?"

"He's excited to try this new armor out as well as his first mission with me. Lieutenant Colonel Hughes…" Maes said, holding out his hand as well.

Hasch shook it. "I didn't know that there were two people in armor at Central. I was under the impression that only the Fullmetal Alchemist's brother was in armor."

"I'm the first to try out the prototype that they have been working on. Even though I know it sounds a little degrading, they said they wanted someone of a lower ranking to try it out in case anything went wrong and I volunteered. I was so excited! The Lt. Colonel let me wear it out to see how it maneuvered in cars and different things and then I can report back to Central any issues I may come across."

Hasch smiled, but Maes could tell he was suspicious.

"Is that so? That's so interesting, Warrant Officer… Gundam? Was it?"

"Yes sir! Euripides Charles Alexander Gundam III." He said, saluting overdramatically.

Maes had to hand it to the kid, he was pretty impressive.

"I see… Tell me, what exactly is this suit supposed to be for?"

"They want to use it in case of any future wars. What they want to do is put alchemists into his thing and then they can bend the suit to their needs and produce whatever melee weapon they want while also being protected by the metal."

"And are you an alchemist?"

"Oh no! Not at all. They just wanted to test it out first and see how it does with a human inside."

"Isn't all the armor quite heavy?"

"Oh yeah! But the Gundams are blood kin to the Armstrongs so I have the strength they need. I'll be able to tell them what will need to be adapted for regular people though, like the metal they used. Definitely something more manageable like what they use in the North."

Maes really had no idea what was happening but Alphonse seemed to be pretty on point and could answer every question the man was throwing at him. With his quick thinking, Hasch seemed convinced and then turned back to Maes.

"I'm under the assumption that the Fuhrer has taken interest in my work?"

"Yes, after looking further into the reports you've sent to him and the success you seem to have had with your wolves, the Fuhrer has agreed to take a dive into your theory. He just needed one last confirmation of the development of your wolves and then he would send word."

Hasch smiled and clapped his hands together.

"Excellent! I'm so glad that the Fuhrer is finally paying attention to my requests. Yes, please, come and take a look at our development. I think he will be very pleased."

* * *

Roy massaged his arm and grabbed hold of the bandages that were covering the incision. He pulled at it and exposed his arm to the air, the itching sensation seeming to never end. Upon seeing his arm though, he realized that what Edward said may definitely be true. His arm looked as if nothing had been done with it, save the bite mark that was still there. All other incisions were gone, the skin completely smooth and not even a scar. The bite mark still looked infected and he scratched at the reddened skin, his foot kicking at each satisfactory scratch.

The door opened and Riza walked in with another folder in hand. She looked over at him and made a face. He seemed satisfied with his itching and looked up at her.

"What?"

"I'm not going to ask… Anyway, I got another file in regards to the case. Did you know that this was going on for a lot longer than we thought?"

"The turning people into wolves thing?"

"No, the experiment in general." She opened the file and threw it into his lap. "Dr. Mendaval Cyprus. In 1732 he had a similar idea involving domestic dogs. He said he wanted to use the experiment more for civilians than for the military but it would work both ways. He thought they could be used as a sort of telecommunication between trenches and sections of the military or sort of like homing pigeons. It says there that he wanted to 'heighten the intelligence of normal dogs and be able to give them detailed instructions to pass messages from trench to trench or battalion to battalion'."

Roy flipped through the folder.

"Why did it flop?"

"The dogs were too easy to spot since they carried small tubes for the letters and although they seemed to understand more than normal dogs, they were distracted quite easily."

"I see… Whatever happened to Dr. Cyprus?"

"It doesn't say… the experiment was shut down and he was never heard of again."

Roy flipped through the pages for a second and then came across some handwritten notes. He read over them and made a face.

"Hawkeye, how does this sound to you? 'I think I may have found a way to get this done but with half the time and better resources. I think that I've been starting from the wrong source material. Making a dog as intelligent as a human is most likely impossible but, as unorthodox as it is, maybe it could work in the opposite mental flow…'"

"That sounds a lot like what Hasch is doing with the soldiers… Do you think he and Dr. Cyprus are related?"

"Either that or Prof. Hasch got a hold of these files and actually tested out this theory…"

Riza grabbed the file again and rummaged through it, pulling out a sheet of paper.

"Actually, I don't think Dr. Cyprus stopped himself."

Roy looked at the paper and saw that it was titled 'MIA officers'.

"So he _did_ try…"

"If those four names are any indication…"

Roy motioned for her to give him back the folder and looked through the handwritten notes again. He started reading a page when his eyes widened and he swallowed.

"Hey um… remember when I told you about Shiro Kiba?"

"The white wolf that bit you? Yeah… why?"

"These entries here… I think… I think I know what's going on now…"

Riza took the page.

* * *

 ** _April 14, 1735_**

 _I'm beginning to feel the effects of the serum on me. Sure, it wasn't the best of things to do, but I was running out of time and running out of soldiers. Everyone is abandoning my project and my work. I think I've worked out all of the kinks in this batch._

 _It's been weeks now but I can slowly feel my senses heightening and there are attributes that I'm beginning to display. My teeth are getting sharper, I crave meat (but raw), I believe I am… quite in tune with female scents, and I am quite territorial. My assistant has been keeping watch over me, making sure that I don't go too far into a transformation before he gives me the counter-serum._

 ** _April 27, 1735_**

 _The counter-serum didn't work! I've been feverishly trying to find a way to cure myself before I lose all of my mental faculties as a man. There are more physical attributes now that I cannot even try to hide. My spine has elongated and has produced a tail of sorts and I am covered in fur. My ears, although in the same place, have elongated and are pointed. Every day I feel them inch towards the top of my head. I can feel my face is mutating into that of a muzzle, my nasal muscles pushing forward as well as my mouth. Eating is painful. My fingers are shortening and makes it quite hard to write as well as the feel of the paw-pads developing on my palms. My feet are getting longer, making it impossible to wear shoes and I know that I have shrunk a foot at least. My assistant has been kind enough to try and help me with this transformation, working as hard as I am to try and reverse it._

 ** _May 10, 1735_**

 _Dr. Cyprus is not longer human. He can understand when I speak to him, but his appearance as a human is gone. Even though his mental faculties are the same, I can tell that his humanity is slipping. He's starting to sniff around some female wolves that come around the facility. Eventually, I have no doubts that his newfound instinct will take over and he will mate with one of them. I am trying not to imagine that sort of outcome, but it is inevitable._

* * *

Riza looked at Roy, who looked very disturbed.

"So Dr. Cyprus got caught up in his own experiment and was turned into a dog. But what does this have to do with Shiro Kiba?"

"I think that she is a descendant of Dr. Cyprus and carries some sort of mutation gene within her…"

Riza stared at her superior for a moment.

"You really believe that you're turning into a wolf?"

"Not just a wolf, dammit! A werewolf… the gene has mutated since Dr. Cyprus got caught in his experiment but the blood will still be there."

"I'm sure after a time the human blood that was in him was diluted to nothing."

"Not if Prof. Hasch got a hold of one of his descendants in a twist of ironic fate. He would think _his_ experiment as a success due to the bioalchemy he started infusing into the wolves but all it probably did was awaken the dormant gene of Dr. Cyprus within the wolf. Shiro Kiba knows far too much and understands way too much for this feeble experiment to work. I mean, he resorted to the exact same thing Dr. Cyprus did after he couldn't get any other wolves to be like Shiro Kiba."

"So you don't think he's read these files?"

"I'm sure he's heard about them but I don't think he did anything extensive about it. He may have sifted through the papers but there's no way he could have located the exact descendant of Dr. Cyprus' dog form."

"Unless he's related to the assistant."

The two of them looked at each other quickly in revelation. Riza flipped through the pages to find the name of the assistant and pointed.

"There, Stephen Franzk. I'll go and ask if anyone knows anything about him."

"Hawkeye…" She turned from the door. "I'm turning… There's nothing that can stop it."

"I know, sir… just call me if you feel it beginning. I'll be here with you."

Roy nodded as she left.

* * *

 **1) alphonse is a good actor haha**

 **2) oh no, looks like things are starting to connect... maybe...**

 **3) i'm sorry to tease you like this about roy... it will happen though... it will *rubs hands together evilly***


	9. Chapter 9

**hoping this decision isn't too hokey... and some language ahead, forwarned**

* * *

Edward leaned on the cage he was in and then looked at Shiro Kiba.

"You let him go, didn't you?" he asked, watching her.

She turned her head and he did the same.

"The professor said that you usually take people to the ground and either kill them or bring them back. I know the Colonel and he's an in shape guy but no one could outrun a wolf… so that means you let him go."

Shiro Kiba panted, seeming pleased with herself.

"Why? Why would you release him after you bit him? Don't you know that he's turning into a werewolf now because of you?"

Shiro Kiba whimpered and looked away. Edward blinked a little.

"You… you didn't know, did you?" She looked back at him. "You really didn't know you had that ability?" She shook her head slightly. "Then what about the others?"

She moved her head to the door and Edward nodded.

"Ah… he turned them into real wolves before the transformation could take over… So what does he want with me?"

Shiro Kiba didn't answer as the turned around in a circle and then laid down, putting her head on her paws. She sighed and looked up at him. Edward wished she knew how to talk normally…

"Things would be so much easier if you just… _spoke_."

"Can talk. Not well."

Edward turned swiftly to Shiro Kiba as she turned her head at him.

"What?"

"Can talk. Talk small." She said.

Edward pointed at her. "Holy shit! You can *talk*!" Then he glared at her. "Are you _sure_ you're not a chimaera?"

"No. Just wolf. Talk in blood."

"I see… so you've always known how to talk?" She nodded. "And… does the professor know?"

"Hasch mean. No talk to mean people." She said matter-of-factly.

"I know the feeling…"

"Colonel… turn to man-wolf, yes?"

"That's what it's looking like. It's taking a long time though…"

"Moon make man to wolf."

"Oh… the old full moon thing-"

"No bright moon, dark moon. Light is dark and dark is light."

"What do you mean?"

"Me light, moon dark."

Edward thought for a second. "So because you're all white, the new moon is what makes him turn instead of the full moon?" She nodded. "Why?"

"Has been for all time."

Edward made a face. "Shiro Kiba, _why_ did you let the Colonel go?"

Shiro Kiba lifted her head and looked at Edward, turning it.

"To save from bad man, get men back. He… high enough to make change and find people. Truth be out."

Edward smiled. "Well… at least we know you're not malicious."

Shiro Kiba sniffed but said nothing else. He hoped that no one heard their conversation. He hoped he wasn't going crazy and the conversation had never existed.

* * *

Roy had been feeling horrible all day. His arm was killing him to the point of trying to take pain medication. Riza stopped him and go some other medication for him. For now, he was in a small quiet daze as his body seemed to throb all over the place. Things were getting irritatingly enhanced, such as his hearing, smell, taste, and so forth. It was annoying as _hell_ when he could tell Breda was coming to visit based on the fact that he smelled like half an ashtray. Since Breda roomed with Jean, the left over stench from Jean's cigarettes seemed to have attached itself to Breda's work clothes. Normally Roy wouldn't have ever smelled it at all, but with the enhancing of his senses, he could smell the man as soon as he walked into the building.

When Breda would come in, Roy would practically have to grip the sides of the bed in order not to pass out from the smell because it mixed in with whatever Breda had been eating, and he ate a lot. If the lingering smoke smell wasn't bad enough, bread and meats and different scents of food mixed in was enough to make him hurl. He hated that things had turned out this way, but it had and he would have to live with it.

Or so he had said.

Today was a different day. Today, Roy decided that if Breda stepped one foot inside of the building with his disgusting smelly self, he would go meet him personally and then rip his stomach out.

Roy shook his head, realizing what he had just thought. He stared at his hands in complete shock, wondering what was going on. Was he turning? Was it just part of his body getting used to the invasion of wolf saliva? He knew the answer but he didn't want to admit it.

The door opened and Roy looked up in fright from the sudden intrusion. It was Riza. He wondered why he could never smell her when she was in uniform. When she came to visit in her own clothing, he could smell her sweet and delectable scent from miles away practically, but her uniform somehow cut off her smell…

"Are you alright, sir?"

"No… I think… I think I'll be turning into a werewolf soon."

"What makes you say that?" she asked, slight concern on her voice.

"Because I can just feel it. I feel like complete shit, I know that. Not just the arm. Everything feels like it's ten times heavier than it should be and my senses are off the charts. It's so hard to concentrate…" he said, emphasizing his pain by massaging his temples. "I wish this whole thing would just hurry up and be over. I'm tired of the hospital, tired of feeling like hell, tired of all of this."

"I know, sir, but we can't change anything as of right now."

Roy moaned and grabbed his arm, trying to massage it and get it to stop throbbing. Riza watched him, feeling completely useless to her superior. She was supposed to protect him and yet she could do nothing for him.

"Is there anything I can get you?" she asked.

"Something to ease the pain in my arm. It's like nothing I've ever felt before and I just… I can't stand it anymore. I'd rather cut the damned thing off." He snarled.

"I'll see what I can do about that."

Riza left as Roy continued to massage his arm.

* * *

As the day progressed, the amount of pain seemed to increase and at one point, Roy was almost reduced to tears from the radiating spasms of sharp pain, followed by dull pulses afterward. The pain medicine may as well had been fore a parakeet because it didn't seem to even hit his arm. Roy just wanted to pain to stop and usually tried to sleep it off but he was woken up from horrid nightmares. So he just laid and suffered, eventually letting whatever way his body wanted to cope with the pain be the way he coped and tears flowed slowly from his eyes. He hated crying but there was really nothing to be done but to take his arm off.

He was so focused on the pain that he didn't even smell Breda come in until he was right next to him. He must have gone to a restaurant that smoked meat.

"Hey, Colonel. Are you alright?"

"No… My arm hurts like hell and now that you're here, you're going to give me a headache." He grumbled angrily.

Breda didn't take any offense to the words, clearly seeing that his superior was in a lot of pain.

"Anything I can do?" Breda asked.

Roy couldn't concentrate. The sun was going down and the pain seemed to be at its highest and Havoc's smoked meat/cigarette smoke scented jacket was pissing him off. He gave a snarl and Breda took a step back.

"Get the fuck out of my room, you fat ass!" Roy snarled, his face seeming to turn feral. "I can't do anything with you here because I choke on _your_ eating habit! Get the hell away from me before I rip your fucking throat out. Better yet, if I just pull out your whole esophagus, you won't have a way to eat and then I can ram my hand into your abdominal cavity and pull out your stomach so that your fat ass can't hold any of the food you put into your mouth!"

Breda blinked at him. "Jeez, Colonel, no need to be cruel..." He spat.

"Did you want me to be nicer about it? I'm sorry, I didn't know you were so sensitive, Lieutenant. Did I hire a pussy? If that's the case, I should have looked a little deeper into your personality because I could have sworn you were able to take a fucking _order_! GET THE FUCK OUT!"

Breda breathed in and gave a salute to him.

"Sir, yes, sir." He said softly, leaving the room.

Roy groaned and fell back onto his pillows. He didn't want to do that. He didn't want to yell at Breda and say horrible things. What was wrong with him? He decided to get up and try to walk around for a bit, maybe clear his head. He would apologize to Breda later. He stood up and made his way to the bathroom when he felt like his head was about to explode. The most eye piercing migraine slammed into the back of his head like a mallet and almost took him off his feet. He stumbled into the bathroom and leaned on the sink. He looked into the mirror and saw that his eyes were bright yellow, his pupils seeming to take over his eyes, the white sclera lost. Around his eyes was darkening into black and he lifted his lip to see that his teeth were elongating. He looked at his hands and noticed his fingernails were darkening and seemed to be shorter than usual. Roy gulped, realizing what was happening and came out of the bathroom to go to the window. The moon wasn't there but the sun was almost down.

He had to get out of there.

He didn't know what to do or how to maneuver around the hospital staff without getting caught when the door opened again and he turned.

"Colonel, what the hell is-" she gasped at him as he growled at her, his lips coming over his teeth. "Colonel…"

"I want out." He said gruffly.

"Out?"

"I have to get out of this hospital. Do you not understand English?" he snapped.

"And what will you do once you're out?"

"What the hell does it matter, Hawkeye?! If you don't move out of the way then I will plow right through you, bitch."

Riza moved out of the way as he headed to the door when a searing pain seemed to explode from within him and he doubled over. He went to his knees, grabbing his stomach.

"Hawkeye, get out of here…" he grunted. "I don't want to hurt you…"

"I'm staying right here, sir."

Roy didn't care anymore as he felt his spine elongating along with his face. He could feel his chin elongating to meet the extension of his nose and upper mouth, teeth shifting into place. His ears traveled up the side of his head and elongated. His muscles bulged out, seeming to get twice as large and defined and Roy tore off his hospital gown in agony, where Riza could see his torso muscles come into shape. The sound of the muscles tearing and pulling along with other muscles moving into proper places made Riza want to vomit, but she stood in the corner, watching. Roy let out a howl of pain as black fur began to erupt from every pore of his body, covering him in almost an instant.

For both Roy and Riza, it had seemed like a lifetime into the transformation, but it had only taken about five minutes, tops. The door opened and Breda looked in.

"Hawkeye-"

He stopped when he saw the werewolf on the floor, his fear of dogs kicking into overdrive, and Roy picked up his head, his yellow eyes staring into Breda's soul.

"BREDA RUN!" Hawkeye yelled as Roy let out a howl and headed straight for his subordinate.

* * *

 **yay he finally transformed! and i forgot that havoc was where edward was so i had to use breda as the scapegoat. not used to him haha. i guess i should get used to him though... either way, hope shiro kiba being able to talk wasn't too off the wall. i figured that her background would account for that, ya know? anyway, onward and forward...**


	10. Chapter 10

**just to say, the talking in a certain part is more like mumbling and small sounds, not constant barking. it's hard to explain.**

 **and sorry for jumping around**

* * *

"BREDA RUN!"

Breda heard Riza and he knew he had to run, but his feet were glued to the floor. He was scared shitless and couldn't move. _Move feet! Move, damn_ _you!_ he screamed in his head as he watched the wolf-thing come towards him. He closed his eyes, ready for impact when a shot rang out and Breda cracked open an eye. The wolf was distracted by the shot Hawkeye had shot into the opposite wall of the room.

"Go, Breda!"

Finally finding his strength, he ran down the hallway and away from the room.

Riza was now the center of her superior's attention and although usually it was a good thing, this was anything but.

"Colonel… Colonel, it's me…"

Roy snarled as he watched her with a death stare, daring her to do anything he didn't like. Hawkeye kept her gun in hand, ready to defend herself even if it was her superior.

"You know I will shoot you, sir."

As if he understood, he snarled a little and then looked at the unblocked passage out of the hospital. After glancing at Riza, he bolted for the door and she could hear people yelling as he left. She ran after him as fast as she could.

* * *

Edward was leaning against the bars, sleeping, when he heard the door open to the room he was in. He looked out of the bars but couldn't see very far due to it being dark. Suddenly a ring of keys dropped at the front of his cage and he looked at them and then up, meeting a pair of eyes. He jumped back a little. The eyes were staring so intently at him in the darkness and he looked at the keys.

"Are you giving these to me to escape?"

The eyes didn't do anything and Edward gingerly reached out for the keys. He got them and then began to try and undo the lock. Just as he was about to be home free, he felt something enter into his hand and he hissed, dropping the keys.

"That's a good dog."

Edward wasn't sure who the voice was talking to when he suddenly felt dizzy again. He tried to keep his eyes opened and was barely able to see when he thought that he saw his hand changing and then he passed out.

* * *

"Chief?" Havoc whisper-yelled. "Chief, where are you?"

Havoc had been hiding in the broom closet of an abandoned room ever since they tried to catch him when he called the Colonel for assistance. He hadn't seen Edward since they had been separated when they first got there. He hadn't had a cigarette in days and the cravings were killing him but he knew that if he lit one up, the dogs would smell him and he'd be caught for sure. It was either crave or get caught.

Havoc moved as a dog-guard padded around the corner. For some reason the dogs seemed to ignore him unless he made any noises that alerted them. He was fairly sure they could smell him, they were dogs after all. _Wolves…_ he corrected. He knew that canines in general had higher senses of smell than other animals and hearing as well. Havoc noticed, though, that these dogs seemed to not see him or hear him unless he brought it to their attention.

 _I need to get out of here…_ he thought as he went around the compound again. He came across the training field but stopped and stayed around the corner.

"Why didn't you consult me about this?" he heard someone say.

"I didn't think I needed to. You told me that if we thought there was a threat, we eradicate it and control it. He was a threat, so I did what was asked of me."

"This is the Fullmetal Alchemist! He has automail for goodness sake! How am I supposed to act like I don't know what we're doing or where anyone is if they can see this and know _exactly_ who he is?!"

"I was just trying to protect the experiment."

"That suit of armor and the other man are staying here for the night! Do you really think that they won't see this? See what you've done?!"

 _Suit of armor? Alphonse is here?_ Havoc thought when he heard a small growl behind him. He turned and saw a red colored wolf growling at him. Havoc put a finger over his mouth and tried to shush the wolf.

"Don't expose me, you idiot, we're trying to save you." He hissed.

The growling suddenly stopped and Havoc thought the wolf went away when he felt something touching his hand. He didn't move and then felt a tongue licking his hand. He looked down and saw the wolf was licking his hand. Havoc bent down to it and began to pet its head. The wolf closed its eyes in pleasure and Havoc turned his head.

"Can you understand me?" The wolf looked at him and lolled out its tongue. "You were one of the officers sent by the military, weren't you?" The wolf nudged his muzzle on his hand. "Do you know where the suit of armor is that that guy mentioned? He said he came here…"

The wolf whimpered and Havoc looked to where the other two were.

"Shit… go! Run away. Find the suit of armor and tell them I'm alright but I don't think Edward is… I mean… as best you can…"

The wolf didn't want to leave but Havoc pushed it and went back to his hiding place, which wasn't that far.

* * *

Edward was thrown back in the cage and growled at his captors. Just his luck to be caught in the stupid experiment. _At least the Colonel got out…_

"Are you alright?"

Edward turned and saw Shiro Kiba looking at him sadly. He glared at her and turned his head.

"I'm so sorry you got caught up in this mess, Mr. Alchemist."

"Whatever…" Edward frowned as best he could. "I'm a friggin wolf now."

"Yes, it seems you got caught up in the experiment. I really wish you hadn't."

"I assume it's easier for you to talk in dog?"

Shiro Kiba narrowed his eyes at him. "I am a _wolf_ , thank you, and although I do not walk on four legs, I consider myself quite worthy of some respect. I tried to help you but you went and got yourself caught."

"I told them I was going to look around by myself. Like they didn't see me running into you."

Shiro Kiba looked away. "You're right… I shouldn't have spoken to you like I did. I just wanted everyone to be safe… these people… It's like what my mother used to tell me about my great-grandfather. He had tried to do a project like this and ended up turning into a wolf."

"Well what now?"

"I don't know who that wolf was with the keys but I could tell he was forced to bring them to you. They have a way of making the other wolves bend to their whim with solid commands."

"Solid commands?"

"Like 'sit, stay, roll over'… harsh commands."

"And you're immune?"

"You're there because of me, so yes."

"Can you turn human?"

Shiro Kiba seemed to think for a second.

"If I tried hard enough, I might but it wouldn't do any good."

There was another scratch at the door and then it opened, a red colored wolf padding in.

"Ms. Kiba?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Petty Officer Orwen Shables."

"Oh, I remember you… you've been here the longest…"

The red wolf looked at Edward and his tail wagged.

"You're the Fullmetal Alchemist!"

"Stop barking so loud." Edward literally growled.

"I saw your friend, the human. He said there was a suit of armor here."

Edward perked up. "Alphonse…"

"Alphonse… who is that?"

"It doesn't matter! Find that suit of armor and bring him here!" Edward barked happily, his butt going in the air and tail wagging.

"Now _you'll_ alert everyone." Shiro Kiba growled.

"Ms. Kiba… I'm getting foggy-headed a lot lately. Is that normal?"

"No… Your brain is forgetting your human self. You've been a wolf for too long. Find that armor, Petty Officer, and get back home."

Orwen gave a salute as best a dog could and left the room. Edward looked at her.

"So…"

"If a man becomes a dog, his brain will soon follow suit. This suit of armor…"

"He's my brother. Long story that also explains my arm and leg."

Shiro Kiba looked over a little and turned around in the circle, laying down with her chin on her paws.

"Well, we have a while…"

"If I tell my past, you tell yours."

"Sure."

* * *

Maes threw the towel over his shoulder and sat on the bed.

"I can't believe that little charade worked."

"Me either. We need to find Brother…"

"We can't really do much of anything. That guy has his wolves as literal guard dogs and I'm sure they'll somehow report to him… By the way, nice improvising about the armor back there. I had no idea that you were such a good actor."

"I didn't know that either." Alphonse said with a small laugh. "I was so scared he would see through me."

"You gave a pretty convincing reasoning. Even _I_ was starting to believe you."

"It seemed plausible."

There was a scratch at the door and the two of them stopped talking, sitting still. They waited for a few moments when they heard the scratching again. Maes grabbed his gun and cocked it, walking slowly over to the door. He opened it up and found a red colored wolf sitting there. He sighed.

"Hello there… What can we do for you?"

The wolf looked in and when he saw Alphonse he seemed to get excited, prancing into the room and jumping around, looking at Alphonse. Maes closed the door.

"Well, he looks happy to see you."

The wolf gave a little bark and pranced his feet, looking at the door. Alphonse turned his head at that and then looked at the door.

"Do you want me to follow you?" he asked.

In response, the wolf ran to the door and scratched at it. Alphonse got up as Maes watched him.

"I think this wolf wants me to follow him."

Maes pushed his glasses up. "What if he's leading you into a trap?"

"What can they do to me? That _was_ the point of me coming…"

Maes sighed. "Just be careful."

Alphonse nodded and opened the door, the wolf leaving.

* * *

Shiro Kiba finished her tale and Edward thought about it for a second.

"So you bit the Colonel because you wanted someone to be able to investigate the compound a little more deeply than the others had, right?"

"This compound should have been shut down ages ago but Hasch just gets more supplies for his continued experiment. The military sends more soldiers who find out the truth and they just keep getting caught. That little wolf that was here was with the first group and I'm surprised he still had some of his humanity intact."

"From the way he acted, it seems like its fading."

"Most of the soldiers' memories have already faded. I can tell because when I speak to them, they are slow to respond."

"How do you mean?"

"We are speaking in complete sentences, complete thoughts, and wide vocabulary. Those whose minds have been taken over speak like I did when I tried to talk to you with human words… 'Me Jake, I like ball.' or something like that."

"Oh… Is there a way to prevent that from happening?"

"Don't do what those people ask of you. The more you obey, the more your mind fades."

"Tonight is a new moon, do you think the Colonel will change?"

"Yes. He will… I don't know what he will do but he will change."

The door suddenly opened and Edward walked backwards to the shadows of the cage.

"Armor! I brought Armor Man!"

"Petty Officer, get a hold of yourself!" Shiro Kiba snarled, making Orwen stop jumping around.

His tail went in between his legs. "I'm sorry…"

"Your mind is flickering. Take time to form your sentences. If you lose, you will never see your family again."

Orwen whimpered as Edward heard the familiar clanking of empty armor. His tail wagged and he almost barked for joy when he saw Alphonse enter the room.

"There you are, little guy. What's wrong?" he asked, noticing Orwen was looking scared.

Edward barked and Alphonse looked over as Edward paced the cage. Even though Alphonse didn't have the eyes to do it, Edward could almost see his brother's eyes widening as Alphonse knelt down to the cage.

"Brother?"

Edward barked and stamped his feet. Alphonse made a sympathetic noise.

"How did you get caught up in this?" He looked around the room for a second. "I'll get you out of here."

"Stop him." Shiro Kiba said.

"Ro!" Edward said with as much voice as he could towards Alphonse.

Al stopped and turned to him.

"What?"

"R-ro… Ro…"

"Are you saying 'no'?" Edward nodded. "Why?"

Before they could get an answer, a siren went off and everyone looked in the direction of it.

"What is that?" Alphonse asked.

"Rer-ral…" Shiro Kiba said.

"What?"

"Rer… ral…" she tried again, trying to find a way to communicate.

"Brother, can you help?"

"It's your colonel. He's coming."

Edward stuck his paw out and moved it on Al's armor. Al realized he was spelling and finally made out what he was saying.

"The Colonel?" Edward nodded. "Why would he be coming here?"

Edward spelled out another word and Alphonse got up quickly, realizing that whatever was coming was not good. He ran out with Orwen behind and Shiro Kiba looked at him.

"What did you tell him?"

"The only thing he would understand in regards to the shit that's about to hit the fan: werewolf."

* * *

 **so yay, breda wasn't eaten and it seems that havoc did escape from what could have been an inescapable situation**

 **and looks like edward got caught up in the experiment too. roy will not be happy when he finds out. what will he do now that he's home free as a werewolf?**


	11. Chapter 11

**i apologize for the jumping around. so much to see and do! we're getting close to the end of the story though so yay!**

* * *

Hearing the sirens, Maes stood up quickly and put his gun in the back of his pants as he left the room. He found wolves running around and some men barking out orders. He followed the wolves out and ended up in the training area that they had been brought to when he and Alphonse had come.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"There is a threat coming towards the compound." Hasch said. "We're not exactly sure what it is yet."

Alphonse came clanking over and stopped next to Maes.

"What's going on?"

"He said there is a threat coming towards the compound."

"What could it be?" he asked.

"We haven't had a confirmation yet. We're about to send scout wolves to check it out. This is your lucky day, Lieutenant Colonel, you'll get to see the wolves in a little bit of action." Major Colben said.

"Indeed."

"Scout Regimen 15, line up!" he yelled.

About five wolves padded out of the group of at least fifty and then sat next to each other, getting stock straight as if they were standing to attention. Maes found the whole thing a little creepy.

"I need you to span out and find out what tripped out sensors. If any of you see or smell anything, I need you to come back here immediately. We'll then take it from there. Dismissed!"

The wolves relaxed and then took off. Hasch looked around and frowned a little.

"Bloodmoon! Bloodmoon! Where the heck is that wolf?"

A bark sounded from behind Alphonse where Bloodmoon –or Petty Officer Orwen- trotted in. Hasch narrowed his eyes at him.

"Where have you been?"

The petty officer seemed to ignore him and stood next to a black wolf.

Alphonse leaned into Maes. "I have some news." He whispered.

"You'll have to tell me later."

"It's in regards to Brother."

Maes nodded that he understood when a distant howl erupted and all the wolves turned in the same direction. The howl seemed like it was calling them and the wolves lined up in perfect rows and at the same time, howled back. Hasch's eyes widened and he stepped backwards into Maes.

"Professor Hasch?"

"I have never seen them do that before." He said, looking scared. "I don't know what that thing is out there, but it has the ability to tame my wolves… This is *not* good."

* * *

Edward and Shiro Kiba heard the howl and both turned, understanding exactly what it was saying.

"I do believe that would be your colonel." Shiro Kiba commented.

"With a stupid command like that, I will agree with you." Edward snorted.

"You seem to have disrespect for your master."

"He is *not* my master. He's my superior but he doesn't own me."

"But I thought you said that you called yourselves military dogs?"

"It's a figure of speech... I mean, you know I'm human."

"He's coming to free everyone." She said, looking towards the window. "That's why he said that command. There's one good thing about all of this, despite the odd happenings with your colonel."

"And what is that?"

"Since the wolves were originally military men and then were retrained in a military style as wolves and then reconditioned to follow solid commands, a superior being who also happens to be a superior officer just happened to give a solid command. If they follow petty humans who have no authority, how much more do you think they'd follow a *real* commander?"

Edward looked toward the door and smirked as best as he could.

"You're right…"

* * *

The wolves all turned in unison to Professor Hasch and Major Colben and then turned their bodies. They started walking towards the two, eyes low, tails low, and teeth bared.

"Um… what's happening?"

"Whatever that thing out there is told them to attack us." Major Colben growled.

Alphonse looked at Maes. "It's the Colonel. He's come."

Maes watched the wolves as they slowly began to close the gap between them and the humans.

"I found Brother." Alphonse whispered.

"Now is not the time." Maes growled.

"If we make a run for it, I can take you to the room he's in and maybe we can escape long enough to get him out."

Alphonse suddenly took off running and Maes went after him.

* * *

Havoc sneezed and rubbed his nose. He was going to have a massive cold after this adventure. Right now, he was having to hide in a meat locker behind a rack of deer. He knew that it would be one of the last places they would look for him. Unfortunately, he had a feeling they forgot about him, which was both annoying and troublesome. One because it meant he was easily forgettable and of no concern, and two because if they forgot him then hiding was really a moot point but he couldn't expose himself. He just decided that he might just die an icicle.

When he heard the howl, he had a feeling it was the Colonel. It was like he could feel it in his bones… or maybe that was the cold. He decided to venture out and see what was going on.

* * *

The door to where Edward was being kept slammed open and Maes and Alphonse ran inside. They closed the door and Maes leaned against it, breathing heavily. After catching his breath, he looked over and saw Edward looking out of the cage.

"Edward?" he said.

Edward barked and wagged his tail as Alphonse turned around. He grabbed the lock and pulled on it, breaking it off. Edward jumped out and licked his brother. A whimper let out and Al looked over at Shiro Kiba. He move Edward from him and broke her lock too. She crawled out and Alphonse realized she was much bigger than she had appeared in that cage.

"I assume this is the infamous Shiro Kiba?" Maes said, walking over to them.

"Mm. She's the one who bit the Colonel."

"Can she understand us?"

"I don't see why not." Al said, looking at her.

Maes decided to try. "Do you know what's going on?"

Shiro Kiba shook her head. Maes sighed.

"Well, there you have it. We almost got mauled by wolves and no one knows why."

"Well, actually, while we were running, I noticed that they weren't after us. They seemed to only be after the professor and the major."

Shiro Kiba made a weird barking noise and Edward turned to her.

"What's so funny?" he asked her.

"That Rupert guy? That's not a major."

"Well then what is he?"

"He's the only successful reversal that's been done here. He's my brother."

* * *

"Are they talking to each other?" Maes asked.

"I think so…" Al said.

* * *

Edward tried to frown. "Your brother?"

"Wolves don't usually breed one wolf at a time. We come in a set usually." Shiro Kiba said with a look.

"Wait, if he's your brother then what the heck with you?"

"Okuro, Colben's real name, was malleable enough to change shape. I, on the other hand, had the ability to give others the ability to change shape."

"So… you couldn't be human?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't given the experiment that Okuro was given."

"Does he know he's a wolf?"

"Yes and no. He knows he's not someone named Colben but he doesn't know why and sometimes he understands the wolves."

"How long has he been human?"

"Since we were in our second year. A young child in human years."

Edward turned to his brother and barked to get his attention.

Alphonse turned to him and Edward braced himself.

"Ro-ren."

"What?"

Shiro Kiba shook her head and Edward barked at her. She ignored him and walked to the door. She looked back at them and then motioned to the door again. Maes opened it and they all followed her out.

* * *

Havoc finally made his way back towards the entrance where the wolves had been kept. He honestly didn't care now because he was so exhausted and hungry and tired and cold. As he made his way around to the encampment, he heard someone sobbing and pleading. He shakily grabbed his gun and went up the hill to the entrance. When he turned the corner, he saw a bunch of wolves and a large black wolf-thing baring down on Prof. Hasch and Colben. Havoc realized that the huge wolf-thing was the Colonel and put the gun down. He walked slowly towards him when he turned, sniffing him out. Havoc stood still as Roy's growl rumbled deep in his throat. Havoc didn't move an inch as Roy walked over to him. His big nose sniffed him all over and Havoc thought for sure his superior would have forgotten him. But to his happiness, Roy only snuffed at him and went back to the issue at hand.

Prof. Hasch thought he'd get away but a few wolves surrounded him and Roy turned back, glaring at him. He yelped and backed up.

"N-nice wolf creature… Nice wolf creature…"

"That's not a wolf creature." Havoc said, walking up behind Roy. "That's my superior officer, Colonel Roy Mustang."

Hasch looked at the Colonel and blinked a little. After a few minutes he smiled and seemed to gather confidence.

"I see, I see… what an amazing specimen. I never knew Shiro Kiba's potential in her own saliva straight from the source."

Roy snarled at him, backing him up again. Havoc cocked his gun and pointed it at the professor.

"Change him back."

"I'm afraid I-I- I don't know *how*. This is really beyond my expertise."

"No it isn't." someone said from behind him.

Havoc looked over and saw Maes, Alphonse, Shiro Kiba and Edward walked up to them. Havoc looked at them in confusion, looking around for Edward.

"Where's Edward?"

Edward barked and Havoc spun back to Prof. Hasch, moving his aim from the leg to the head.

"I suggest you figure out a way to expand your expertise." He snarled.

Shiro Kiba growled and took a stance, her eyes focused on Prof. Hasch.

"I think you'd better tell us how to get our friends back and all of the officers." Maes said. "Shiro Kiba looks like she might strike and then you'll end up just like the Colonel."

Roy leaned forward, letting out a deep throated growl.

"Tell us how you made Major Colben into a human and turn everyone back." Alphonse said.

Colben turned to Hasch. "What are they talking about?"

"Nonsense! Complete nonsense! I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have the ability to turn wolves into men, just the opposite way around! I swear!"

Shiro Kiba made a couple of noises as Colben turned his head.

"Shiro Kiba says that I'm… I'm not a real person." He frowned and turned to Hasch. "What does she mean and how come I can understand her?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters very much." Maes said, walking casually towards him. "You see, not only did you harm a superior officer, but you've technically kidnapped more than fifty officers from the army in your 'experiment', including a high profile alchemist. Your offenses are adding up by the minute and every second you deny what you've done, it adds to your sentence… which will be a very *long* one. So, come clean, and turn everyone back."

"I'm *telling you* that I don't know!"

Edward growled and Roy turned. Upon seeing Edward as a wolf, Roy bared his teeth and walked closer to Prof. Hasch. The other wolves cleared the way as he backed the professor into the wall as much as he could without going through it. Before anyone could stop him, Roy grabbed the man and began to shake him around like a ragdoll. Maes and Havoc tried to get a hold of Hasch but were afraid that Roy would mistake them and they'd get caught. Edward was the one that got him to stop by ramming into him. He fell to the side, releasing Haschvagen to fight Edward.

Maes and Havoc grabbed the man up as he coughed blood and laid him on the ground. Shiro Kiba walked over to them and Maes saw the look in her eyes.

"Don't do it, Shiro Kiba." He said.

She only growled and made them move. Maes thought she was going to maul him too but she started to lick his wounds. At first he found it disturbingly kind but then he realized what she was doing. He had gotten bitten by Roy, a secondhand bite from a werewolf, and now he was going to be getting Shiro Kiba's saliva all in his bloodstream. She was tacking on another variable.

A whimper let out that made everyone turn and Edward flew across the crowd of wolves. Roy stood up, walking towards Edward with a look of death in his eyes but Alphonse moved in his way, holding his hands out. Roy looked over him as Alphonse stood still.

"Stop this, Colonel! You're not yourself! Look what you did to Edward!"

Edward whimpered but he was hurt pretty badly. He had gashes in his neck and back and his paw was either broken or sprained. Roy didn't look too good either. Alphonse always knew his brother was feisty but in wolf form, he seemed to even overpower Roy, who was at least two times bigger than him or any of the other wolves.

"Colonel, trust us to help you. *Please*… We want to make you better but if you kill the only person who knows how to fix you guys, then what will it do? I *know* you can understand me…"

A small bark let out and Al looked over, seeing Bloodmoon/Petty Officer Orwen, submissively crawl towards Roy. He was making odd noises that were between a bark and a whimper. Roy seemed transfixed on the red wolf as he crawled practically on his belly to Roy's feet. Roy breathed in deeply and then looked at Alphonse and then Maes and Havoc. He then leaned his head back and howled. The rest of the pack joined him. When he was done, he looked at Shiro Kiba, who looked at him. She was the only wolf that hadn't howled. She walked over to him and stood next to Orwen as they looked each other in the eyes. She then leaned over and exposed her abdomen to him, giving him her submission.

"What the heck is going on?" Havoc asked.

"The little red one explained what happened to everyone and how important it was for your Colonel to listen." Colben said, walking over slowly. "Something about their minds getting lost… I'm not fluent."

"What was the howling?" Maes asked.

"He asked who wanted to return home… I think. But I'm sorry to say that some of the officers can't be turned back. If their minds are too far gone then their bodies won't go back to normal." He looked back at Haschvagen. "Professor Hasch won't cooperate with you. Even if he has to turn into a wolf himself."

"Well we have to try." Maes said. "We've got too many people on the line for us not to force this asshole to do what we say."

Colben looked apprehensive. "If what Shiro Kiba says is true and I'm not really a human then… he must have some sort of serum formula in one of his earlier notebooks that has the cure. If what she says is true, then it's been at least fifteen years since he restarted the project. The notebooks from way back then are kept in his office under lock and key."

"Then we'd better find it. These guys don't have much time, it seems. Aren't there any other humans in this place?" he said, looking around.

"Not very many due to the way things were done. The few we had probably ran off when the sirens sounded."

"Alright then… we'll have to get this all organized. Do you think the Colonel will turn back once the night is through?" Maes asked.

"If he's a werewolf, then don't they usually?" Havoc said.

"I'll call Hawkeye and get her to come down here. Colben, I need you to find Hasch's office and get those notebooks. We need to start scouring the pages for a cure of some kind. Do you think the Colonel will be able to understand the wolves when he turns back into a human?"

"It's debatable…"

"Tell Hawkeye to bring a doctor with her." Alphonse said, walking up while holding Edward. "Brother's hurt pretty bad."

"Right. Let's move people! We're on a time schedule!"

* * *

 **so much stuff! colben isn't human, roy almost really hurt ed, the officers are heading into trouble, and now hasch is double 'infected'. will he cooperate or be a booty head about it? considering the sentence he's going to have and the counts of kidnapping, brainwashing, and harm to a fellow officer he will have, i think he kinda doesn't have a choice... but he could still be a douche if he wanted *shrug***

 **and can anyone guess what okuro means?**


	12. Chapter 12

Edward licked his wounds as Maes and Havoc tied Hasch up and Colben went to look for his keys to inspect the office. Roy was too big to come into the building so Havoc told him to stay outside and watch for Hawkeye and the doctor he had requested and alert them when they arrived.

"Brother, stop licking your wounds, the doctor will be here soon to take care of that."

Edward watched his brother defiantly as he continued to lick his wound anyway. If Al had had eyes, he would have rolled them. The door to the office opened and everyone looked up at Colben, who had gone in to search.

"He's moved them. The only ones here are the more recent ones. It would be imperative if someone woke him up and asked where he stored them."

Havoc turned to the unconscious professor and backhanded him hard. Hasch woke up with a gasp, looking around in confusion.

"How ya doin?" Havoc asked with a grin.

"Not very well… My body is sore…" he moaned, trying to get his bearings.

Orwen growled something while he was gnawing on a bone and Edward barked in response. Everyone turned to Colben for translation.

"I believe he said that it was the start of the transformation. Mr. Elric said that the mixture between Shiro Kiba and the Colonel's bite will probably be a mixture of transformation techniques." Orwen barked at him. "Oh, sorry, he said that it will create something completely different."

"So we have no idea how this will go?" Maes asked.

"Only for the professor." Colben said.

"Professor Hasch, can you tell us where you have your old formula notebooks?" Alphonse asked, kneeling next to the professor.

"My… my what?" he asked, seeming very disoriented.

"Your old formula notebooks."

Hasch thought for a moment and then winced, seeming to try and focus but failing to do so.

"I'm sorry… What was the question?"

Maes sighed. "This is pointless."

Edward barked and Shiro Kiba barked back.

"They said his mind is probably trying to adjust to the new changes of his body." Shiro Kiba barked again. "She said her saliva indirectly makes wolves but by biting, it gets into the bones and muscles, creating something like a werewolf."

"I thought you never knew how that worked?" Maes said with a growl.

"She's taking a while guess. She's bitten people before and we knew that the outcome wasn't the same but no one ever really survived it, to be honest, so we stopped letting her bite people. Her saliva is the same no matter what-"

"No." Everyone turned to Hasch. "No, it's different than how I use it in the injection."

"How is it different?" Maes asked.

"It's modified to work quickly and painlessly, usually lasting no more than a few minutes."

"Painless?" Maes snarled, pointing at Petty Officer Orwen. "Ask _him_ if it was painless! You contorted these men into animals and you want to try and tell me that it was _painless_?!"

"I assure you that what he says is true." Colben said. "The formula allows the patient to go to sleep and they are changed while they are unconscious. When they wake up, they have turned. It isn't like what happened to your Colonel… or to the professor."

Hasch moaned and lolled his head. Colben reached out and touched his forehead, frowning.

"He's got a high fever."

"Good, then he'll want to think quickly."

"I can't… I… my head is so hot…" Hasch said, barely keeping his eyes open.

Havoc grabbed the man's hair and made him look at him.

"You will look past your fever and _think_. Do you understand me? We don't care about you or what happens to you, okay? We just want to get our men and the men you screwed over back to their families at any cost. So, _think_ , Professor."

"Stop it." Colben said, moving in between them.

" _Why_ are you defending him? He's a monster."

"Havoc, enough." Maes said. "You can't blame Major Colben for having a small amount of worry for the professor. If what Shiro Kiba says is true about him originally being a wolf, then his protective and loyal instincts are still there. You are antagonizing his owner."

Colben frowned. "I'm not owned by anyone. I don't appreciate the use of the word."

A low grumble was heard outside and Maes went to the door. A car was pulling up to the facility and he went out to greet them.

* * *

Hawkeye, Fuery, and Breda got out of the car along with a fourth person and met Maes as he walked up to them. Upon seeing Roy sitting at the entrance, Breda hid behind Riza, trying to hide from his superior.

"Glad you could make it."

"Indeed. This is Dr. Quincy. He specializes in both human and animals. I disclosed the information under pain of death so he should be cooperating well with us."

Maes looked at the man as he nodded quickly in agreement.

"Alright then. Right now we're trying to get the professor to tell us where his old formula books are so that we can try to locate the one he used on Colben."

"Who's Colben?" Riza asked as they started to walk.

"Hasch's assistant. According to Shiro Kiba, he is actually her brother that Hasch was able to turn into a human. He can understand the wolves and… um… Edward got turned into a wolf too so time is of the essence."

Riza made a face as they headed up to the facility.

Roy was lying down when the car party walked up. He opened an eye and watched Maes go by with a man he didn't recognize. He could smell the fear wafting off of him and although it made him smile, the threat to his friends was nonexistent. He smelled Fuery's apprehension as he passed and gave a small wave to him. Roy pushed back his ears but didn't do anything. Breda was a wreck as he went by but Roy didn't blame him. Roy _had_ almost eaten him… Then he smelled Riza getting closer and lifted his head, waiting for her to approach. As she got closer, he put his ears back and his tail began to wag slightly. She passed by him without so much as a word and Roy immediately growled, upset she didn't acknowledge him. Riza turned around as he stared at her in expectation. She smiled and pet his head as his tail began to wag harder and he stood up, almost knocking her over.

"Alright, Colonel, enough. If we don't get in there we can't help you." She said, pushing his big frame away.

He butted his head against her as she scratched behind his ears. Satisfied with the proper attention, he turned back around and laid down again.

* * *

When Riza went into the facility, she saw someone helping another guy to a small cot. The man looked increasingly ill with every step that was taken, shivering and turning whiter with every breath.

"What's going on over there?" Riza asked.

Dr. Quincy looked over as he finished filling a syringe with a clear liquid.

"The professor is experiencing symptoms from the wolf bite. If what you said is true then I'm sure his body is preparing for transformation and/or is trying to get rid of the foreign body of the poison in the saliva of the wolf. He's in an extreme amount of pain; so much that he can't concentrate on what they are asking him. So I'm going to give him something for it and hopefully we'll be able to get some answers out of him."

Maes looked pissed, along with Havoc, who was lighting a cigarette angrily.

Dr. Quincy went to the professor and injected him with the clear liquid as Riza walked over to Maes.

"The doctor says this may have to do with the bite from the wolf."

"That's an understatement." He scoffed. "His body can't handle the triple whammy that was forcefully given to him."

"Triple whammy?"

"The Colonel grabbed him up and slung him around like a ragdoll, puncturing his torso with many bad wounds. Shiro Kiba licked his wounds, letting her saliva get into his blood stream while Roy's saliva entered his bones and muscles."

"In essence," Dr. Quincy said, walking back. "His body is being invaded by bacteria that is altering his form in many ways on many levels. He is being torn apart physically as well as cellularly. Major Colben said that the white wolf's saliva acts differently in the blood than in the flesh and since your Colonel is a secondhand incubator, we don't know what abilities he has as well. He will probably not last through the night and even if he does, it will not be pleasant for him."

Colben walked up and held out a key.

"The professor told me to give this to you all."

"Is it to the notebooks?"

"Yes…"

He seemed apprehensive and Maes watched him for a second.

"Where does this key lead?"

"To- to the notebooks, just like I said."

"Then why are you shaking? Are you scared?"

Colben looked away. "There are some filing cabinets down where um… where we keep the ones that failed."

"Failed? Failed what and who?"

"No-not everyone adapts to the drug as well as the others and so they end up… um… well… it's haunting down there."

Havoc crushed his cigarette box and grabbed hold of Colben.

"Are you telling me that there are some really fucked up people down there living in agony and misshapen because of that lunatic?" Colben nodded. "Damn it!" he yelled, angrier than before.

"It doesn't happen very often but there's enough down there to make you have nightmares. I hate going down there."

Maes put his hands on Colben's shoulders.

"We _have_ to go down there. _You_ don't have to come if you don't want, but we need to find those notebooks. What about those down there? Can they be saved?"

"I don't know… I think Prof. Hasch was working on something for it but he wanted to make the serum where everyone could take to it first-"

"To just leave those poor guys down there to rot!?" Havoc snarled.

Colben looked at him. "He was _going_ to make a serum. I heard him talk about it… But even though I don't want to, I have to go down there with you. You won't know where it is if I don't."

A mournful cry let out and everyone turned to Hasch. He turned over, moaning again, and spasmed. Havoc turned to the doctor.

"It thought that stuff was supposed to keep him quiet so he could endure the pain?"

"It was."

Hasch cried out again, turning on his back when he arched up and a horrible cracking sound echoed the room. He breathed heavily as he seemed to settle back to the mattress.

"It seems the transformation is getting started." Dr. Quincy announced.

"Alphonse, Hawkeye, you're with me. Havoc, you stay up here with Breda and have Fuery help Colben to separate these wolves." Maes said.

"Separate them?"

"Shiro Kiba said that some of them couldn't be saved because their memories were too far gone. We need to be able to distinguish those whose memories are still intact and those who are struggling to maintain their humanity in those bodies. We also need to know this as soon as we know the formula because if the professor survives his own transformation, we need to be out of the way."

"No! No, don't leave me! Please!" Hasch yelled from the cot.

"Begging is pointless."

"I'm not begging for my life, I'm begging you to end it."

"What?" Riza said.

"This mixture… I can tell I'll most likely be a failure. I would rather be put out of my own misery."

"Like the way you put the others in this place out of theirs?" Havoc said, holding up the key.

"I only have them there because I was going to try and make cures for them. Honest… I wouldn't wish being a failed transformation on my worse enemy."

"Would these notes have an indication of trying to help get those guys back?"

"There might be some… If not, please kill them too. Don't let them go…"

Maes walked past him but stopped for a second.

"If there is a cure, we will cure those men. And when we do, we will _not_ cure you. If you survive the night, we will treat you in kind with the ones who were changed by your hand."

They left to find the place where the failed transformations were kept.

* * *

 **ah so it looks like the combination of the two sources is going to be a none-too=pleasant transformation for hasch. that's what you get when you try to play god, idiot. and roy will be coming back soon so...**


	13. Chapter 13

**this turned out longer than i expected so... sorry about that but hey, a nice long chapter for a story i havent' worked on in a bit**

 **also, remember, if the wolves are 'talking' it's only other wolves that can hear their actual speech but humans hear growls and gruffs.**

* * *

Colben led them to the door where they were supposed to go but hesitated a little. He didn't want to go in there… He swallowed hard and put the key in the lock, opening the door. The first noise they heard was the low painful, mournful cries of some poor creature. Maes looked at Colben and he went inside.

"What does he do with them? Are they in cages?"

"Yes, they are."

"How many of them fail out of the experimentation?" Riza asked, using her flashlight to light the dark room.

"Probably a 1:10 ratio; out of about fifty men, five of them will not successfully turn. Sometimes we get lucky and it's lower than five but I've seen him do it in groups of ten before and have one in every group just not take hold."

"How can you tell if it doesn't take hold? I mean, what if it's just that their bodies aren't strong?" Alphonse asked.

"Well, the serum acts pretty quickly. Usually within ten minutes the transformation has begun and then by the end of thirty minutes the transformation should be complete. If the person isn't going to take then… they will begin the way the professor did: in agony."

"So you're saying that if someone takes to the serum they aren't in pain?"

"Usually they get dizzy and pass out before the transformation begins. If it doesn't take then they don't pass out, they just start feeling horrific pain and then they begin to feel every part of the transformation."

"Why can't you just stop it?" Maes asked.

"Interrupting the transformation process will result in death or a horrid half version of man and beast. It's best to let them turn and then work backwards from there."

Another mournful cry came from the bottom of the stairwell and Riza moved her flashlight around.

"Um… Are the failed transformations… dogs?" Alphonse asked.

Colben didn't say anything and Maes grabbed his shoulder.

"Colben?"

"Sometimes they are and… sometimes they… aren't…"

"If it's the same serum-"

"Failed transformations are just that, failed. The serum just reacts differently to them. If we hurry we might not have to really see any of them or wake them up. Lieutenant Hawkeye, if you wouldn't mind turning out your flashlight?"

Hawkeye made a face but turned the flashlight off, making the decent pitch black.

"I can't see a thing." Maes said.

"There is lamplight at the end of the hallway. Just follow that." Colben said pointing in front of him. "I have to go help your friends with all the wolves."

"Alright then."

They began walking down the steps and finally hit level ground. Alphonse accidentally clanged into something and reached out, trying to figure out what it was.

"H…eee….l…p…. me…." Something moaned pitifully beside him.

"Don't worry, that's what we're trying to do."

"Alphonse, keep up." Riza said.

Alphonse moved away from the cages and followed the shadows of his companions to an office that was in the corner with a not too inviting lamp.

"It looks like he may have been down here earlier." Maes said.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Riza asked, opening up a filing cabinet.

"Anything that looks like a notebook with information in it…"

Alphonse lifted a notebook off the table and opened it up. If he had had eyebrows he would have lifted them.

"Mr. Hughes, I don't think we have the time to look through the notes. Have you seen how he does things?" he said, showing him the notebook.

Maes took it and turned his head a little. He then turned the book to the side and then upside down.

"What the hell is this gibberish? He's he playing us?"

"It might be in code." Riza said.

"Mm. A lot of scientist and especially alchemists write in code so that officials or people looking to steal their research can't read it readily. It's something that will probably need to be translated but we don't know the key to the code. If we have him tell us, then maybe… but Dr. Hasch is dying as we speak."

"Then we'd better just grab what we can and get the hell out of here."

A haunting howl caught them off guard and they all jumped. Maes breathed in and fixed his glasses.

"As quickly as possible."

They closed the door and began to look through the files in the filing cabinet.

* * *

Edward pushed the front door open and limped out to see Roy. Roy was sleeping on his paws, his strength sapped from the fight and it was starting to get to the later part of the night and closer to sunrise. Smelling Edward, he raised his head and then turned his head at his beaten state.

"Who did that to you?" he asked.

"You did, you jerk." Edward literally barked.

Roy's ears went back. "I… I know that. I meant turned you."

"Who do you think?" Edward's legs gave out from under him and he slightly collapsed/slightly laid down beside his superior. "They said they may have a cure."

"I hope so."

"What's it to you? You get to turn back into a human. If they don't find the cure then I'll lose my mind and forget who I ever was. How's that for life?" he grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"Then I'll make him-"

"You can't do anything to him. He's dying. Between Shiro Kiba's saliva mixing with yours, he's not gonna make it."

"What does my spit have to do with anything?"

"You're a second party contributor and there hasn't been anything like you before so no one really knows what it will do. We're assuming it does the same thing that Shiro Kiba's does and if that's the case well…"

Roy looked up as he saw the light from the sun inching over a hill in the distance. Edward looked too and laid his head on his leg.

"Well, it looks like your time is up, Colonel." Roy looked back at him. "Help us out, alright? You've got a lot of wolves depending on you."

"You act like we won't see each other again."

"I don't know if you'll be able to understand me when you turn back into a human and who knows how long it will be before you turn back or I turn back."

"For you, not long."

Edward gave what grin a wolf could give.

"I'm counting on it."

* * *

"That's it?" Havoc said with a look that was a cross between anger and sadness.

Colben wasn't sure how to react around him and so he took a step from him.

"I'm afraid so…"

Havoc pointed. "You mean to tell me that out of the seventy or so men that came up here and got fucked over by that doctor, only twenty seven of them have their full mental capacities?!"

"Well that's why I put them in three groups instead of two. This group is mostly made up of the people before you who were transformed. This group is from a few groups back; they remember humanity enough to have a slight conversation with me. They are a little… on the edge. This last group, though, doesn't remember anything."

Havoc looked at the largest of the three groups as the wolves sat there. These men who were no longer men… Havoc clenched his fists.

"Damn it…"

He front door opened and everyone looked over. Edward limped in and took a seat in the corner when a hand took hold of the doorframe and someone walked into the building. Havoc began to unbutton his jacket and walked over as Roy stumbled in, shaking on two legs. Havoc stopped just short of his superior as Roy looked at him with a tired expression.

"Welcome back, Colonel."

Roy smiled a little and practically fell into Havoc, but he caught him and put his jacket around him.

"What… what's the report on everything?" Roy rasped.

Havoc chuckled as Roy pulled the jacket from his shoulders and tried to tie it around his waist.

"I think you should rest a little before we go into detail. Hughes, Hawkeye, and Alphonse went to go get some notebooks that might have a cure in it. You can rest until they come back and then we'll bring you up to speed."

Roy was a little disoriented anyway and nodded, putting his hand to his head.

"Okay…" Breda stepped up to take him but Roy growled at him and he stepped back. "Not you."

"Um, why?"

"I can still smell your fear and it's overwhelming. Fuery."

Fuery nodded and took Roy from Havoc to find a place for him to rest.

Breda looked down but Havoc put his hand on his shoulder.

"Despite the harsh words, you know he's only doing what's best. I mean, we all know you have a phobia of dogs and from what you told us happened, you have every right to be a little afraid still."

"It was just… he still seemed the way he was before."

"I wouldn't expect him to be the same."

Breda nodded when the door to the basement opened up and Maes, Hawkeye, and Alphonse ran in, slamming it back. They all held the door with their bodies and something thudded on the other side, a long somber howl echoing from the other side.

"What the hell was that?"

"A failed experiment." Riza said. "One of them got out-"

"Heeelllppp! Plllleeeaasseee!" it wailed on the other side of the door. "I want… I want my mommy… Help me… help me find my mommy…"

"Is that a child?" Havoc said.

"No, it's a really young sergeant." Alphonse said in all seriousness. "He wasn't that old when he was assigned here."

"We flashed the flashlight on him and I recognized him from the last entrance ceremony." Maes said as the door rattled violently. "I remember thinking he was way too young to join and someone mentioned he qualified and passed the tests."

"I want to go home."

The shaking stopped and one of the wolves picked his head up from taking a little nap.

"I… I just want to go home. I won't cause any trouble." He said softly from the other side of the door.

The wolf barked and a couple others turned to the door as well. Havoc watched them as Riza and Maes walked over and Alphonse locked the door, putting a chair in front of it.

"Are you just going to leave him there?" Havoc asked.

"Colben." He looked over from studying the condition of the professor. "Those experiments: are they dangerous?"

Colben looked at the door where it rattled again and lifted his eyebrows.

"That one is… he's… different."

"Why?"

"He's the only one that didn't change physically." Hasch said from the cot on the floor, he himself oddly calm.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you let him out?"

"We didn't let him out. He was in a cage like everyone else and did it himself." Alphonse said.

Edward watched a few wolves walk over to the door and sit down at it, watching it with great interest as the door rattled again. A couple of them whimpered. Shiro Kiba was also watching them, her tail twitching in unsettlement.

"Major Joseph Nestlinjer. He is the only dangerous failed experiment. The serum didn't change his body but his _mind_. He has the mind of a wolf, the instincts of a wolf, but he can talk and reason like a man." Hasch pointed to Colben. "He made him."

Colben looked confused and Maes was about to throttle the professor.

"Are you telling me we went down there and got _your_ notebooks when it was _his_ experiment?!" he screamed, pointing to the door.

"You don't understand…" Haschvagan said, wincing as he sat up on his elbow. "Major Nestlinjer attacked Colben."

"Shiro Kiba said that Colben was only a small child when he was created."

"As was Shiro Kiba." The professor snapped. "Shiro Kiba and Colben were cubs when I got them and discovered Shiro Kiba's ability but Colben- Okuro didn't seem to be able to do anything. That was fine… until Major Nestlinjer turned into a failed experiment. Okuro was a young pup when the major found him and practically mauled him as if he _were_ a wolf. When I came back from getting help I found a helpless child on the ground instead of a pup."

"Then why-"

"Only because Okuro was a wolf already did it work. The major's saliva turns animals into humans but… it also turns humans into animals." He groaned, putting his hand on his wound. "I tried to extract the saliva to make it work for me but all it did was cause problems and the major was quite violent."

Shiro Kiba barked and Alphonse turned to where she was looking.

"Wait-"

It was too late and the wolves moved the chair, causing the door to burst open. Major Nestlinjer fell through and seemed a little paralyzed for a second. The wolves who helped him out walked a little closer when he reached out and grabbed one of the paws. They yelped and then howled when he broke their paw. The others ran away as a red wolf walked out a little.

Shiro Kiba ran in front of everyone and growled as Major Nestlinjer got up. He cracked his neck and his fingers and then turned to look at everyone.

"I want… to go… h-home." He was shaking but looked determined. "Fix me."

Shiro Kiba growled at him and looked over.

"I'm not going to hurt anyone." He looked at Colben and laughed a little. "It worked… if… if it worked on you then… then it could…"

"Your saliva doesn't work that way, Major." Maes said, his hand hovering his gun. "The professor said it only works on pure things."

"N-no it doesn't… it… it works on everyone. The guy beside me… He… he's human. I think… I… I'm not very smart anymore but I know I work. I know…"

"Don't trust him. His mind isn't stable." Haschvagan said.

Major Nestlinjer looked at Hacschvagan and his lip lifted angrily at him.

"He kept me down there because I was the cure."

"If you're the cure, then prove it." Havoc said. He pointed to the pack of wolves. "Pick any soldier and turn them back."

"Did you not just see him break that-"

"His foot was already broken!" the major yelled. "You broke it when we got here and I put it back. You're trying to make me- me-" He suddenly screamed and squatted down on the floor holding his head. "I can't think! I'm trying so hard but I can't _think_!"

"Take your time, Major." Alphonse said softly.

Nestlinjer quieted for a moment, rocking back and forth and whimpering. Finally he seemed to gather himself and stood back up, wiping his face, shaking.

"I attacked that little cub because I was delirious and scared and something inside of me made me want to make sure he knew I was dominant. He threatened me and I just snapped but… then I found out what happened and tried to bite others to see if it was true but I was told I was a danger. So they locked me up down there, saying that my mind was taken over by the wolf and- and maybe it is but I _know_ I work. I just want to go home and I know my men want to go home… I just want to go home…"

"Then prove it to us." Maes said again.

The major rubbed his arm. "I… have to bite them."

A little red wolf scuttled over to the major and barked up at him. He looked down and turned his head.

"Petty Officer Shables?" He barked again. "Um… o-okay…"

Orwen sat up and waited as Major Nestinjer swallowed hard.

"I… can't just…"

"Do you need motivation?"

Orwen growled and suddenly attacked the major, trying to get at him. As if he turned into a different person, the major growled back and they fought for a second when he bit into Orwen. He yelped in pain and the major watched him for a second. Orwen whimpered and suddenly fell over. Shiro Kiba growled angrily at the major.

"You're a liar!" she snarled.

"Wait… look…" Edward said, hobbling up to her.

Everyone watched as the fur seemed melt away from Orwen and he grew about three feet. Pale white skin patched through the thick red fur until the only hair left was long on his head, glistening scars and blood on his skin.

"Holy shit…" Havoc whispered.

"It worked."

A shot suddenly rang out and everyone turned to find Roy holding a smoking gun as Haschvagan howled in pain as he held his stomach. Everyone looked at him as he turned them, his black eyes no longer black but a golden yellow color.

"I want anyone capable of doing so to harvest Major Nestlinjer's saliva and make a serum to counteract the professor's. I want my subordinate back in his human state as soon as possible and then these men returned to their families."

"Sir, some of the men don't… they don't remember."

"Then they can find new memories. No one turned will be left as they are."

Haschvagan began to laugh. "Except _you_."

Roy growled a little. "And _you_." He looked at Major Nestlinjer. "How are you a major at such a young age?"

"I know I look young but I'm twenty-seven, sir. I rose the ranks quickly."

"I see. Most likely you won't be able to be the same either."

"I- I know."

"And I want this _thing_ to be kept in the military for experimentation of their own. They can do whatever they want with him for all I fucking care. Someone subdue this bastard and take him away from here. When everyone is accounted for and free, burn this bitch to the ground. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Hawkeye, please call for back up."

"Is there a reason why you shot him?"

"So he can _suffer more_." He seethed at the professor. "We have a doctor who can keep him live, right?"

"I… don't' think I can." Dr. Quincy said. "He's bleeding quite profusely."

"Sorry about that. Here, let me help."

Roy walked over to Havoc and grabbed his lighter.

"Hey!"

"I need this."

He walked back to Haschvagan and poked his finger in his blood, drawing something on the back of his hand. He then flicked the lighter up and cauterized the wounds closed, causing the professor to scream in horror and pain as he thrashed about.

"That should do it."

Dr. Quincy looked shaken and Roy turned to Riza.

"What."

"Nothing, sir."

"That's what I thought. Do what I asked."

He walked off and Riza released the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

* * *

 **ah, the colonel is back and taking care of business. although he might not be quite the same as he was before... and haschvagan is a dick a lick...**


End file.
